Another Lily and James Story
by fanfictionsissy
Summary: For the past while, Peter has had a not-too-secret crush on Lily, but James finds that he has a small liking for our favorite girl and would like to have a go at winning her affections. COMPELETED! (REVISED)
1. Default Chapter

STORY: Another Lily and James Story

AUTHOR/S: Ally and Crissy

AU story!

Disclaimer: We do not own anything! There, we said it. Can't this just be a disclaimer for the whole story? No? Fine. Just for a few then.

Chapter 1

James woke with a start and jumped out of bed. Today was the day he would go to his school Hogwarts for his fifth year! He would meet his friends at the train station, and they would be off. He grabbed his trunk, and headed down the two sets of stairs.

"James!" Candice, (James' mom) called.

"No need to yell mum." Said James, giving her a peck on the cheek.

"I just didn't want you to be late again. Remember last year."

James turned a light shade of pink. His thoughts wandered back to last year when he slept in for about an hour, and was late for the train. His dad, (being the minister of magic), had to floo him to Hogsmeade and get everything straightened out with the Headmaster. His dad just had to make up a few lies; not many.

"Well," said Candice, "eat your breakfast, then I'll drive you to the train station, and have to give you up for another year. Your dad got a call and had to go to the office. He told me to tell you that he was really really sorry that he couldn't see you off."

James rolled his eyes. His mom said the same thing every year. (With the exception of last year of course. That went something like this: "What did you think you were doing sleeping in like that! The ONE day a year that is very important, and you blow it off! You better not do that ever again or I will seriously put you on some kind of probation!" You get the point.)

After breakfast, James dragged his trunk and owl into the car that his dad Kevin had let them borrow from the ministry, he and Candice got in, and they were on their way.

When they got to the train station, Candice pulled her son into a big bear hug.

"Mom!" James whined, "People are looking."

Candice let go, James said goodbye, and walked onto the Hogwarts Express.

He walked down the corridors looking for any sign of his friends.

He saw one compartment where a Slytherin 4th year boy was burping purple bubbles.

"Well," he thought to himself, "they're somewhere around here."

"James! Buddy!"

James turned around to see three mischievous looking boys coming down the hall of the train.

"Come on. We have a room."

James followed the boys to an empty compartment.

The four boys sprawled on the couches.

"So Jamie, decided to get up on time this morning?"

"Sirius." Said James, "Get off it. It was a one-time thing. And don't call me Jamie."

"Ok Jamie."

The boy called Sirius looked somewhat similar to James. Sirius had tidy black hair, chocolate brown eyes, and was somewhat muscular.

James on the other hand, had messy black hair, and blue eyes covered by glasses.

Other than that, and some facial differences, they were like twins.

Another boy, had light brown hair, green eyes, and had a sad/weary look about him. His name was Remus.

Peter, the last boy, had dirty blonde hair, and blue/green eyes.

All of the boys had a sneaky mysterious look to them.

"So." Said Remus, "Anyone up for a game of slap poker?"

"Lily. Wake up."

Someone was shaking Lily.

"What?" she said groggily.

"What do you mean what?" exclaimed the voice that turned out to be Gene, Lily's mom. "Your going back to Hogwarts for your fourth year!"

Lily's eyes snapped open. She had forgotten all about it!

"If you slept in any later you would be late."

Lily snickered. She remembered a fifth year boy named James that had slept in last year and missed the train and his dad had to get everything settled. It was hilarious for everybody except him.

"Thanks for waking me up mom." Lily said as she jumped out of bed and pulled her trunk out from under her bed. She had enlarged it while she was at Hogwarts so the inside was much bigger than it looked from the outside.

"Well," said Gene, "Breakfast is ready, so hurry up and come down. You don't have much time."

It took Lily about 10 minutes to get ready and go downstairs to eat.

When she was almost done, Lily's sister Petunia came down the stairs.

"So." She said nastily, "The freak is going back to the place where she belongs."

"Pet," retorted Lily, "I didn't know you were leaving, where are you going?"

Petunia gave her sister a hard glare, and sat down at the table. "We are going shopping this morning aren't we mother?"

"Yes dear, after I take Lily to the train station."

Lily stuck out her tongue at her sister, and said, "Can we go now mum?"

"Of course. Let's go."

Lily brushed by her sister who muttered a rather inappropriate word.

In the car, Gene went down a checklist of what Lily had in her trunk.

"Mom." Lily complained, "We did this last night."

"Alright; we're going."

They were off to the train station. After saying goodbye to her mom, Lily walked onto the train. She walked down the hall to find a compartment with her friends, or an empty one. She was getting to the end of the train, when she looked into one of the compartments and saw a group of 5th year boys playing a Muggle card game with Wizard cards. Very amusing.

She walked past.

A.N. SORRY, this just doesn't seem to pick up the star thingys that are supposed to separate different scenes!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

James looked up and saw a fourth-year named Lily walk by.

"Hey Pete." He said. Peter looked up, and James nodded his head in the direction of Lily.

Peter jumped up and shouted, "Lily flower!"

Lily turned back, and came over. Peter invited her in, so she came in at sat down.

Every boy in the room knew that Peter had a major crush on the fourth-year.

Lily cautiously approached and sat down on one of the seats.

James smiled to himself. She knew of their reputation, so she wanted to make sure that they didn't pull any pranks on her.

Peter sat by her.

The deck exploded, announcing the end of the game. The cards that people had in their hands didn't blow up, (they weren't supposed to), so the boys counted how many cards they had, and James had the most, so he won.

"You people will never get the point that you will never be able to beat me at cards."

To James' surprise, Lily spoke up.

"I bet I could beat you at speed." (A Muggle card game)

"What do you bet?"

"A chocolate frog from the snack cart when it comes."

"Ok, you're on."

Peter, Remus, and Sirius climbed onto the seats, while James and Lily sat in the middle of the floor.

Lily took out a set of cards from her pocket.

"With my cards."

"What!" exclaimed James, "Did you charm those cards or something?"

"No." replied Lily, "They're Muggle cards, so they won't blow up. It's most distracting you know."

"Fine. Deal 'em out."

While Lily dealt the cards, the other boys were encouraging her. No one had ever beaten James at any card game, so they were eager to see him get beaten for once.

"Why James," Taunted Lily, "It seems that your friends don't want you to win."

To which James replied, "Just deal the cards, woman." In his mind, James was actually getting kind of nervous. This girl who they had never paid that much attention to before, challenged him to a card match. She must be good to bet something that she would win him.

The game was going good for both of them. At last, James had one card, and Lily had two. A King was on top of one pile, and a 5 on the other. James saw his chance, and slammed his Ace on the king, announcing his win.

He leaned back smugly.

"I never should have doubted myself." He thought.

Just then, the lady with the snack cart came by the room.

"Anything from the cart dearies?" she asked.

Everybody jumped up and almost bought out what was left of what was on the cart.

Lily tossed a Chocolate Frog over to James.

James thought for a minute. Lily was nice, and it wasn't her fault that she didn't beat him, no one could. Maybe he should give the frog back…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_Nah_. Thought James. _Why should I give it back? It is her fault she challenged me. Plus; if, and IF I gave it back, Sirius and Remus would taunt me and say that I like her, and then Peter would feel bad. Nope. I am going to eat this frog._

He opened the box, and the frog gave a big leap.

Right into Lily's lap.

Lily smirked.

"Why thank you. I had no idea that you would give it back."

James rolled his eyes. "Fine. Keep it. I'll play and beat you at cards any day."

Lily laughed. "I was just kidding! To tell the truth, I'm horrible at cards. I'm surprised I did so well today. I never play that good at cards."

They all bust out laughing. (James included)

"Well isn't that just a big coincidence that the one time you play good is so good that you almost beat me. The best card player at Hogwarts and possibly all England."

"James Potter." Reproved Lily jokingly, "You think way too much of your self. No man, (or in your case boy), is an island."

"You preach it Lil!" shouted Sirius.

Lily turned to him. "Sirius, your almost as bad."

Sirius faked an insulted look.

"You mean you don't find James and I disturbingly handsome? The rest of the school seems to think so."

"Disturbing yes, Handsome no."

By this time, Remus and Peter were rolling on the ground laughing. Nobody talked to Sirius and James like that. Sirius was telling the truth. At school all the girls fell all over them, and that's what made James' and Sirius' egos so big.

James looked over at the boys rolling on the ground.

"I suppose you think this is funny."

Peter and Remus looked up and shook their heads no, then started laughing again.

Sirius shook his head. "People these days. No respect. No respect at all."

James looked at Lily again. She was laughing too.

Come to think of it, even though she was in her fourth year, she was stunningly pretty. More than pretty really; beautiful.

He shook himself. He was only in his 5th year; he shouldn't be thinking like that.

"Much too young. Plus, she's Peter's. " He thought.

But then a thought came to him. He remembered what his dad had said to him when he was going for his third year. In his second year a couple girls had asked him out.

"_You better not date anyone until you are at least 15 James. I'm being serious. You know that your mother and I don't approve of dating until the age of 15 so, do as I say any stay away from girls until then._"

"_Fine dad_." James shrugged it off.

He didn't really think about it, but he _had_ stayed away from girls 'till now. He never even had any friends that were girls. He didn't know it, but what his dad said had burrowed its way into his mind.

"_I'm 15 now."_ He thought.

Then he came back to Earth.

"I was thinking more along the lines of Peter or Remus." Lily was saying.

Peter looked up from rolling on the ground. This was his chance! It seemed like if he asked her out she would say yes!

Then his shyness, what he was famous for, kicked in.

"_I can't ask her out! She's the most beautiful girl in the world! But this is my only chance…_"

He fought in his mind for what seemed like hours, but what was only a couple seconds.

Finally, he came to a decision. Whatever the result was, he could deal with it.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Peter decided not to.

"_I can't_." he thought to himself. "_Maybe another time, but not now_."

Lily stood up. "Well people," she said, taking her leave, "I bet we're almost there, and I need to find my people."

The guys bid her farewell, and Lily left the room.

"What was that all about?" asked Remus.

"I have no idea." Replied Sirius. "So why didn't you ask her out Peter? This would have been the perfect chance for you!"

Peter turned red.

"I got... shy."

James spoke up.

"Well anyway, he has the whole year to."

"Yah." Said Sirius, "Just like he had all last year."

The train stopped, and they all piled out. Everyone was trying to get out at once, so the hall was pretty crowded.

A boy with blonde hair and gray eyes shoved passed James.

"Oh." He said when James turned to him, "I didn't know that was you Potter. Next time I'll do it a little harder."

James looked like he was about to tackle him, but a prefect came over and held him back.

"Malfoy! You know I'll get you." He shouted.

The crowd pushed him out the doors. There were lots of horseless carriages waiting for the students to get in. Each one held about 5 people.

The four friends climbed into an empty one.

A second later, Lily walked past.

"Look!" called out James, "It's the little 4th year!"

Lily came over and climbed into the cart with them.

"Just for that, I'm riding with you."

James looked at her faking meanness, "Did I say 4th year? What I _meant_ to say was the lovely Lily, see."

Sirius leaned over to James and whispered in his ear, "I put together my part of the potion. Did you make yours?"

James nodded. "We can mix them together and practice transforming tomorrow. It's a full moon in three days. Or should I say nights."

"You were saying?" Lily was looking at them quizzically.

Sirius piped up.

"Only that you are the most beautiful girl in Hogwarts, and that we are so lucky that you came to sit with us."

"I thought so."

James thought for a second, and then asked, "So. Where are "your people"?"

Lily's face drooped.

"Apparently they aren't my people anymore. They totally shut me out of their conversations and everything."

"We can be your people!" exclaimed Peter.

The other three boys looked at Peter angrily.

"Maybe you can..." Muttered Lily. "Don't worry guys." She said, seeing the other boy's faces, "I won't hang with you all the time. Plus; I don't want to have detention every night."

The carriage stopped.

They all got out and walked into the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table.

After the sorting and the feast, everybody walked up to their Common Rooms.

Before Lily could get up, Professor McGonagall came up behind her and said, "Please come with me." Lily had just arrived and was already in trouble?

The professor led her out of the Great Hall and into an empty classroom.

"I suppose you are wondering why you are here."

Lily nodded.

"I brought you here to tell you that you have exceeded splendidly in all your classes. All the teachers have discussed this matter, and we have decided that you will be moved up to your 5th year.

Lily's eyes opened wide in surprise. "Really?"

"Really." The professor replied. "Your baggage has been moved to the fifth year chamber already, and your new roommates are aware of your coming."

"Thank you professor!" Exclaimed Lily.

She left the room, and ran up to a picture of a fat lady in a pink dress.

"Password?" the picture asked.

Lily slumped down. She didn't know the password.

"Oh please Lady," she begged, "One of the professors pulled me aside to talk to me, and so I don't know the password."

"Sorry." Said the fat lady, "But I can't let you in unless you have the password. I'll get fired you know."

Lily consented, and curled up by the portrait.

James quietly got up and put on a robe.

It was 12:00, and he didn't want to wake any of the other boys up.

He was just going to get a little snack. You know, a first day of the school year nighttime raid. He picked up his invisibility cloak from out of his trunk and wrapped it around him.

He snuck out of the room, and down the stairs. He pushed open the portrait door to go out, and started to go to the kitchens.

A flash of red caught his eye. He turned to look at it.

Lily. She was curled up asleep by the sleeping picture of the fat lady.

He couldn't help but think again that she was beautiful. Even while she slept.

James shook his head.

No use thinking that right now.

He had three sensible choices he could think of doing concerning her.

He could pick her up and carry her to her room, wake her up and tell her the password, or wake her up and invite her down to the kitchen with him.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

James picked Lily up in his arms and carried her through the portrait and up to the 4th year girl's room. He opened the door, to put her on her bed.

To his surprise, all the beds were occupied except one, which was completely void of any of Lily's stuff.

He took her back into the common room, and woke her up.

"Lily. Lily, wake up."

Lily stirred, and then opened her eyes.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"In the Gryffindor common room." Replied James.

Lily shook her head.

" Duh. And where else would I be." She hit her head to show herself how stupid she was. "I thought I was outside of here."

"I brought you in."

"Thanks. Why?"

"I was going out, and saw you, so I just brought you in."

"Where you going?"

"The kitchen. Want to come?"

"You know where the kitchen is?"

"Of course. That's one of the easiest places to find!"

"Ok, let's go."

The two walked out of the portrait hole.

"So why were you sleeping outside?" asked James.

"I didn't know the password." Lily answered.

"And why didn't you know the password?"

"Ms. McGonagall wanted to tell me something."

"And what did she want to tell you?"

"Ok, these questions are getting kind of repetitive. How bout I just tell you what happened, and you don't interrupt?"

"Alright."

"She wanted to tell me that the teachers are moving me up to my 5th year. So now you can't call me little 4th year anymore!"

"So that's why your stuff wasn't in the 4th year dorm."

"You went in the girl's dorm?"

"Well do you think I was just gonna leave you in the common room?"

"I didn't even think about it."

They came to a big picture of a bowl of fruit.

James reached up and tickled the pear.

It giggled and the picture swung open.

Lily's eyes opened in surprise. There were house elves all over the place. Some were sleeping, some were cleaning, and some were cooking.

A couple elves caught sight of Lily and James, and came over.

"Mr. James, how nice it is to be seeing you again." One said.

"We have been missing you over the summer." Said another.

"You have never brought a lady friend to see us before." Yet another said.

"Hi everyone," said James, "This is Lily."

There were lots of voices saying "Hello Miss Lily" at once.

The house elves carried over platters of food and desserts.

"Wow." Whispered Lily to James, "What are they?"

James looked at Lily funny, and then exclaimed "Oh! I forgot you were Muggle born for a second. They are house elves. They are what make the food, and do a lot of other things too. They aren't really supposed to be seen here though."

"Do they get paid?" asked Lily.

James cleared his throat. "No." he rushed on. "But before you say anything Lily, they love working, and get very insulted if you say anything about pay."

"Ok, ok."

When they finished eating, Lily and James said goodbye to the elves, and headed back up to the Gryffindor room.

It ended up that they the same classes, so tomorrow she could and would just hang with James and his pals.

Lily went up the girl's stairs, turned, and said goodnight to James.

"Lily." Called up James.

"What?"

"Do you like Peter?"

"No."

"Who do you like?"

Lily shrugged, and walked into her room.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The next morning, Sirius, Remus, and Peter got up with half an hour to spare until breakfast.

Sirius pulled back James' bed curtains to reveal James sleeping deeply in his bed.

Sirius shook his head in mock disgust. He leaned right up to James' ear, and yelled, "Jamie! Wake up!"

James jumped awake.

"Wah, what happened?" he shouted.

"Just you're morning wake up call." Grinned Sirius.

Every morning at Hogwarts was the same. The three boys got up, and James slept soundly until Sirius shouted at him. Then he would say something stupid like "what happened", when it happened every day, and he should know what happened. Every morning except Quidditch match mornings that is.

Before James could pull the covers back over his head, Peter and Remus grabbed him and rolled him out of bed.

James hit the ground with a thump.

"I'm up, I'm up." He grumbled as he pushed himself up off the ground.

"Well Jamie boy." said Sirius; "You stayed up much later than you normally would on the first night of school kitchen raid last night."

James jumped up. "First of all, don't call me Jamie, Sirius. Or should I say Sally. And second of all, how do you know that I have… had, a first night of the school year kitchen raid?"

Sirius put his head in his hands. "You underestimate me Jamie. I know you ok?"

The boys were all dressed, so they headed downstairs. No one was in the Common Room, so the boys went out the portrait hole and started to walk to the Great Hall for breakfast.

After a little, they heard a shout from behind.

"Wait up!"

James and Peter turned and saw Lily running towards them. When she caught up, James announced, "Lily got to skip her 4th year, and got moved up to her 5th."

"Sweetness." Said Sirius with no sarcasm in his voice. "We get to have the Lovely Lily tag along with us."

Remus piped up. "If she hangs with us she needs a boy name."

"A boy name?" asked Lily skeptically.

"Sure." Said Sirius, "We have girl names."

"Sirius." Moaned Peter, "Please..."

"Girl names? Do tell." Said Lily.

"Well," said James, "Let's start with Sirius shall we? Or should I say. Sally."

Sirius stood up straight and saluted; and than retorted "James is Jamie."

"Remus is Rose." Said Peter.

"And Peter is Polly." Retorted Remus.

By this time, Lily was bursting with laughter. "I… ha ha... can't believe... ha ha ha hee hee… how well those... hee hee… names... hee ha ha ha... fit you guys!"

James looked at the three other guys.

"Lance?"

"Definitely Lance." The three replied.

Lily got up.

"No way. You guys aren't gonna call me that!"

The four boys smiled evilly.

"You hang with us, you do like us." Taunted James.

Lily relented as they got to the Great Hall.

"Lance, it is then." She said, "Lance, Jamie, Sally, Rose, and Polly."

"Why do you get to be first?" Whined Sirius.

The rest of the day went pretty well. Lily got more and more adapted to the four pranksters. And she found herself leaning a little more in the liking category towards James; otherwise known as Jamie.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

That night, Sirius and James got out their potions, and mixed them together in a medium sized cauldron.

"Are you sure you made them right?" asked Remus nervously. "I mean… things could go terribly wrong. You don't even know what you are going to turn into! What if you turn into a hippogriff, or a hippopotamus or something like that?"

"Don't worry Remus." Reassured James, "We did everything right,"

"And we won't turn into anything too big." Interrupted Sirius.

"How do you know?" asked Peter.

"I just know." Sirius/James.

Sirius was taking his turn to stir the potion, (You had to stir it clockwise for half an hour, then drink it.), when the boys heard a knock at the door.

"We're kind of busy here!" shouted James, as he went over to the door.

"Open up." Said the voice; "I know what you guys are doing in there."

James opened the door a crack.

Lily was standing in the doorframe waiting for the boy to let her in, and so he did.

"How do you know?" asked Remus.

"Do you people think I'm stupid? You're always gone on the full moon Remus, and after that, you're sick. Besides that, all today you people have been whispering about a potion. I don't know what that potion is, but you'll tell me won't you?" Inquired Lily.

The boys whispered to each other around the cauldron, and then James said, "We're making a animagus potion. But you can't tell anyone! Not even Dumbledore."

"I won't." Lily promised. "As long as I can drink it too."

The boys opened their eyes wide in shock. She wanted to become an animagus along with them?

"Umm..." thought Remus out loud, "I don't know. It could be dangerous."

"Guys." Said Lily, "It's like the same with the girl names. If I hang out with you, I need to do what you do."

"Okayyy." Relented the boys; "It could go really wrong though,"

"If you're taking that risk, I will too."

After waiting and stirring the potion for the designated half-hour, Sirius and James poured the potion into four cups.

(A.N. Remus didn't need it because... you know. He's not going to be the one changing on purpose.)

"We'll all drink it at the same time ok?" said James.

"One, two, three!"

The three boys and one girl chugged the drink. When they finished, they dropped their cups on the floor.

"That was the most disgusting thing I have ever drunk in my life!" Exclaimed Lily before she screamed and collapsed in a heap.

The boys got up with some difficulty, but Lily stayed on the ground.

Remus rushed over.

"It must have a worse effect on girls than boys!" he exclaimed. "Lily! Are you alright?"

Lily was curled up in a ball holding her legs with her eyes shut tight, silent tears streaming down her face, and was shuddering violently.

"It's not that bad..." Said Peter.

"Well it must be to her!" exclaimed James, mad at Peter for his insensitivity. He picked Lily up and lay her down on his bed. The boys gathered around.

After a few minutes, Lily came out of her shock and opened her eyes.

"What happened?" she asked.

The guys let out gasps of air. They were so worried... It would be their fault if anything had happened to Lily, and that would not be good.

"You didn't react well to the potion." Said Remus.

"It hurts." Lily replied.

"So now that everyone's ok," said Peter, "what do we do now?"

"Are you ready to go on, Lily?" asked James, "It might hurt more."

Lily nodded. She was serious about this whole thing. She would go through terrible pain to do this for her new friends.

"You are supposed to wait at least 5 minutes for the potion to settle and get into you're veins, and we did. And then close your eyes and concentrate." Said Sirius.

"You shouldn't do it at the same time." Said Remus, "That way if someone starts hurting, we can comfort them, and not have four people in mass pain at the same time."

"So who wants to go first?" asked Sirius.

There was a silence in the room. No one wanted to be first to experience whatever was going to happen.

"I'll go." Said Lily quietly.

"No!" exclaimed all the boys at once.

"You can't go first Lily," Said Peter, "The way you took the potion, we don't know how you will react to this, so you should definitely not go first."

"I'll go first." Stated James.

The four others gathered around in a circle around James.

He closed his eyes, and sat down. After about a minute, James cried out in pain.

The boys had put a soundproof spell on the room so any sound in the room could not be heard outside of this room unless you wanted it to be heard.

He stretched out and started to change. His hair grew shorter, and started to grow all over his clothes. Slowly, his arms grew longer, and his legs thinned out. His nose and mouth bulged out to form a muzzle. All in all, he looked like a deer.

The deer, formerly know as James, stood up, and two big antlers shot out of his head.

The four humans gasped.

James was a stag.

Beautiful…

He walked over to them.

"Are you ok James?" Lily whispered.

The stag nodded its head and playfully nudged her.

She reached out her hand to touch the gleaming brown coat. It was soft... Softer than cotton. Kind of like a bunny kind of soft.

He then stepped back and started to retransform. It took about a minute to fully return to his human form.

"The book says that if we practice a lot we will eventually get to where it will take us a second to transform." He said.

"Jamie!" exclaimed Sirius. "Who cares about that right now? You were a stag! What was it like? How did it feel?"

"Oh that; It felt good actually. All except for the changing part. Now that hurt like hell."

"I'll go next." Announced Sirius.

His transformation went pretty much the same as James', except when his morphing was done, he was a huge black dog. Kind of like a Muggle's black lab mixed with a chocolate lab, but much bigger and with longer hair. More like a wizard dog.

Next, Peter.

To everyone's surprise, Peter grew smaller. When he was finished, Peter was a rat. Just a gray rat with no visible markings.

Peter transformed back quickly. He was embarrassed that he wasn't a magnificent creature like James, or something big and powerful looking like Sirius. The others told Peter that he looked good, and that he shouldn't worry about it.

Then they all looked towards Lily. What would she be?

Sirius tried to lighten the mood.

"What if she turned into a cat? The it would be dog chases cat chases rat!"

Peter blushed while the others chuckled, and Lily stepped into the circle of boys. She at down and closed her eyes when she automatically felt pain in her skin. It felt all sharp and prickly. Like she had pins pricking her all over.

Fur grew from those pricks. Her ears grew shaggy and longer. Lily shrunk a bit, her legs and arms getting thinner as well. Her nose bulged out, and she felt a tail shoot out of her rear. The pain stopped; he was done changing.

Lily turned to James.

"You're a golden retriever." He said.

Before anyone could say anything else, a small horn grew out from Lily's forehead.

Lily saw the boys looking at her odd, and tilted her head in a question kind of way.

Remus knelt down and felt Lily's horn. It looked exactly like a unicorn's.

"Change back Lily," Said Peter.

Lily changed.

"What was wrong?" asked Lily.

"You had a horn. Just like a unicorn." Sirius informed her.

Lily looked startled. Why would she have a horn?

James' eyes lit up.

"Lily!" he exclaimed, "I read in the book that very rarely someone can change into two animals, and they kind of combine. I know that's kind of messed up, but maybe you can turn into something with a horn too! Come on! Change again. This is exciting."

Lily started to change again. But this time, instead of shrinking, she grew. Her arms and legs grew and thinned out a bit. Lily's neck stretched as fur grew. She felt a horn shoot out from her forehead again, but her tail was like before shaggy and coarse. Along her neck, she could feel hair growing.

She shook her head and gave a little whinny. Lily could tell; she was a unicorn.

Peter laughed. "You have a dog's tail."

So that's why her tail wasn't long and stringy…

Lily then transformed back to a human.

"That was so cool!" she exclaimed.

"So what else did it say in the book about people who can change into two things?" asked Remus.

"You can change into either animal by concentrating on one of them. That's pretty much all it says about that since like only two people have ever been like that in history." Explained James.

Remus let out a sigh. "I'm glad that's over with."

"We need new names!" exclaimed Sirius, "Just around us though. No one else can know what our names are… We can use them like code names!"

"Yeah!" agreed James. "And they should have something to do with our animal forms!"

"Rose can be Moony!" exclaimed Sirius.

"Okay." Agreed Remus. "That fits."

"I'll be Prongs." Said James.

"I'm Padfoot!" Sirius.

"What am I gonna be?" asked Peter.

"Hmm..." Thought James, "I know Polly! You can be Wormtail!"

"Oh... Okay."

They all looked at Lily. What would she be?

"Tails!" exclaimed James. "It's gotta be Tails. You look so hilarious as a unicorn with a dog tail."

"Sure." Relented Lily. She thought it would look funny to see a unicorn that had a different kind of tail than usual.

"So that's cool," Said Sirius. "But remember, we can't say the names in front of ANYONE!"

Lily chuckled.

"So it is." She said, "Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs, and Tails."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

A few nights later, (or something like that), James, Sirius, Peter, and Lily snuck out to the womping willow under James' invisibility cloak after Remus was led out.

"Ow. You stepped on my foot!"

"It wasn't me."

"Sorry."

"It wasn't you."

"Oops."

"Hey watch it!"

"Well I can't exactly watch it can I? I can't even watch myself."

"Yep, we're kind of invisible right about now,"

"Shut up."

"Yea, we're almost there,"

The four got to the tree and went around the back so no one from the castle would see them.

James took the cloak off of everybody.

"Ok someone's gonna get it." Said Lily.

James interrupted her. "Lily, I know you really want to kick some butt right now, but couldn't it wait until tomorrow? I mean, we're on a mission right now."

"Fine."

"Ok everybody, transform." Said Sirius.

"Wait!" whined James, "I want to say it."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"NO!"

"YES!"

Lily interrupted them, "As much as I would like to stand here and listen to you two yell and tell the whole school that we're out here, I think I'll just transform."

She started to shrink, so that meant she was going to turn into a dog.

Sirius and James shrugged and did the same.

Peter, after seeing that everyone was changing, followed suit.

"Ready people?" asked Lily.

"Yep." Replied James, Sirius, and Peter.

"Wait a minute," said James, "How are we talking like this?"

"You read no books do you?" asked Lily, "It's thought-speak. You can only do it when you are in an animal form talking to other animals. Doesn't work when you're trying to talk to humans though."

"Ok, Let's go!"

Peter snuck under the lashing branches of the tree, and pressed a secret little knot.

The tree's branches stopped moving and a hole appeared in the tree, like a secret entrance. (Which it was.) Two dogs, one rat, and one stag slowly crept in.

They went down a long hall, until a door came into view. Inside they could hear howling and sniffing and scratching.

"Remus." Called Lily, "Can you hear me?"

No answer.

"Remus!" yelled James, "Talk to me buddy, it's James."

The scratching stopped.

The four animals went towards the door, and James used his antlers to unlock the door.

Lily and Sirius pushed it open.

A wolf, all torn up and strong, stood there in battle pose against them.

"Remus, Moony, cheer up buddy, we aren't that late."

The wolf cocked his head, and something clicked.

"Guys, I can barely… talk… You have to get this. My wolf brain is taken over, and... I can't go against it. The wolf... doesn't kill animals though. Just… humans." Said the pained Remus.

"Ok let's go!" exclaimed James.

The five animals headed out the tunnel, and out of the tree.

"Let's go to the forest!" exclaimed Sirius.

They went into the forest to play around and explore.

After a while, Sirius looked over at Lily and got an idea.

"Cant resist," he said so only Lily could hear him, "Dog instincts too strong... must play."

He launched at Lily and tackled her.

"Padfoot!" exclaimed Lily, "I wouldn't if I were you, I have a horn."

Sirius backed off mockingly, "Oh I'm so scared of the horn, bow to the horn." He kneeled his front legs in a dog position of bowing.

Lily was laughing so hard that she launched at him and had a full out dog play-war.

The others didn't hear how it all started, but anyone could tell that the war was all in fun, so they watched amusingly.

James felt somewhat jealous of Sirius being what animal Lily was, so they could actually play like that. And why were they playing like that anyway? If he had shoulders James would have shrugged; why would he even care?

The sun peaked a little over the horizon, and Remus exclaimed, "Guys, I'm getting my brain back! We have like half an hour to get back to the tree.

The four big animals raced back to the edge of the forest with Peter riding on Sirius' back.

"Hurry!" exclaimed Remus as Peter jumped off and pressed the knot. The animals rushed in and up to the room on the other side. Once they were all in, Remus started to transform back.

When he was done transforming, the others did too.

"Well that was fun." Said Peter.

"I agree." Said Remus.

"I thought you didn't have your brain." Asked James.

"I didn't. But I still know what's going on, even if I can't control it."

They said bye for now, and James put the cloak back over the same four, and they went back out and up to the castle and to the Gryffindor Common Room, where they took the cloak off.

"I'm going upstairs to get the 2 hours to of beauty sleep that I really need." And Lily dragged herself up the stairs to her room.

"That's a lie." James muttered.

Sirius caught it and his eyes opened wide. He was about to say something when he remembered Peter was there, so he held his tongue and went upstairs.

When Peter was asleep, Sirius went over to James' bed. He was wide-awake and staring up at the roof.

"You like Lily don't you?" Sirius teased. "I bet you were so jealous when we were playing in the forest."

"Mind your own business Padfoot." Said James.

"Oh come on Prongs." Sirius pleaded, "Tell me tell me tell me! I swear I won't tell anyone!"

"Fine! I do ok?"

"But what about Peter?" asked Sirius more quietly.

"Peter can go jump off a cliff for all I care. I mean, about liking Lily at least." James told him, "She doesn't like him anyway."

"How do you know?" asked Sirius.

"She told me herself. I asked her, and she said no."

"Hmmm..." Thought Sirius. He went back to his bed and fell asleep.

James thought for a moment. How much did he like Lily anyway? Obviously more than he thought since he said that Peter could just jump off a cliff instead of getting her. Well she was perfect. To him at least. She made a beautiful dog and unicorn… not to mention human. He was 15 anyway. He told himself; he could go out with someone now if he wanted.

"_Whatever_." He thought, "_We'll see. We'll see_."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The next few months went lovely. The Marauders did millions of pranks as usual, and Lily tagged behind. She didn't do the pranks, and mostly while they did, she backed off and went somewhere else.

Halloween was coming up in three days and Dumbledore made a very interesting speech.

"I have some lovely news for you all."

The students started whispering to each other because they all had a pretty good idea of what he was going to say.

"This Halloween, there will be a Halloween ball. Only years 4 and up may attend. If you are in a younger year, and someone in an eligible year asks you to be his or her partner, you may go. Good day to you all."

As Dumbledore sat down, the Hall was so loud with students talking to one another, that you could barely here your own voice.

That evening, Peter was up in his room trying to get up the nerve to ask Lily to the dance. Little did he know that something was going on downstairs that would change his life forever.

James walked over to Lily who was on a couch reading, and came up behind her. He rested his chin playfully on her head.

Lily giggled.

"Yes James?" she asked.

James came around to the front of the couch, and sat down next to her.

"How did you know it was me?" he asked.

"Prongs, only you would do something like that, except for maybe Sirius, but I just knew it was you. And I also know that you want something."

"Oh wise one," teased James, "Since you are so smart, tell me what I want to ask you then."

"Oh come on James," Lily whined, "I don't know everything."

"Do you want to go to the ball with me Tails?" James asked bravely.

"You want Tails to go with you?" teased Lily, "I don't see why you would want a dog to be your date for a formal dance."

"Lily! Fine. Since I can't get Tails to go with me, I guess I'll have to settle for you Lily. You will come won't you?"

"Of course I will. But one thing."

"What!" exclaimed James.

"Are we going as friend or..."

"Or. Definitely or."

"Ok." Lily grinned, as did James.

James pecked Lily on the cheek, and went up to his dorm.

When James came up and plopped down on his bed, Peter went downstairs.

Peter shakily came up to Lily.

"Will you go to the ball with me Lily?" he said fast, trying to get it over with.

Lily looked up a little shyly.

"I'm sorry Peter, but I'm already going with James."

"Ok, whatever... It's fine." Said Peter, and he went back upstairs.

Lily felt a little sorry for the boy. She knew that he had a crush on her for years, and his heart must be broken now. Lily shook her head. She wouldn't feel bad if she didn't think about it, so she put it out of her head and didn't think about it anymore.  
Peter grew more and more mad as he slowly walked up the stairs. How dare James ask Lily to the ball when he knew that he, Peter, had planned on asking her! Hatred grew in his heart towards James from that day on.

When Peter walked back in the room, all three of the other Marauders came on to him.

"I'm sorry Peter! I had to."

"Pete it's not his fault, really!"

"Don't be mad."

"Guys." Said Peter, "It's fine. She didn't even like me anyway. No hard feelings." He said this out loud, but his mind and heart were screaming at James, calling him all the bad words he could think of.

"Thanks for understanding Wormtail." Said James. He was visibly relieved.

With that in thought for both of them, they went to bed.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Halloween came, and James paced back and forth at the bottom of the girl's stairs waiting for Lily to come down.

"Sheesh!" said Sirius trying to calm James, "No need to be nervous Jamie. It's not like this is going to be the first time you have ever seen her."

Sirius was waiting with James with his date beside him. She was a fellow 5th year, with black hair and purple eyes.

"Lily told me something," Said the girl, whose name was Raye, "She said to tell you to _sit down_."

"_She knows me too well."_ Thought James.

"And she's only hung out with us for a few months." Said Sirius.

"I said that out loud?" asked James.

"Yep."

Lily appeared at the top to the stairs, and James jaw dropped in fascination.

"Close your mouth James; it's not like it's the first time you've ever seen me." Said Lily.

"Exactly what I said." Interrupted Sirius, "Now let's go."

As they walked to the Great Hall, James whispered to Lily, "You look beautiful."

"Really?" asked Lily. "It's weird to say this to a guy but... you do to."

They both snickered.

"What are you two laughing about?" asked Sirius.

"Just saying how adorable you and Raye look together, Sally." Teased James.

"Hey. How about we make a pact Jamie." Said Sirius, "No girl names until tomorrow." He looked at Lily, "Or boy names for Lily."

"Agreed." They said.

"What?" asked Raye.

"Nothing!" said Sirius, James and Lily.

They arrived at the Great Hall, which was decorated beautifully. Everyone was just milling around until the music started.

Remus and a dragged Peter came over. "Hey guys what's up?"

"The only thing that is up around here is waiting for everything to get going." Said Sirius.

The music came on.

"That's what I'm talking about." Said Sirius, and he took Raye out to the dance floor.

"Want to dance Lily?" asked James.

"I would love to." Replied Lily.

They went out on the dance floor, formerly known as the dining hall, and how else can I put it but… danced!

After a couple songs, Sirius cut in and asked if they could trade partners for a song. James glared at him, but traded.

"So you like my bud James huh?" Sirius asked Lily.

"You know I do." Replied Lily.

"Did you see that glare he gave me when I said I wanted a dance from you?"

They both laughed.

James looked over at them and saw them laughing.

"_What are they laughing about_?" thought James.

The song ended, and after saying something to Raye, James rushed back over to Lily.

"Can we sit down?" asked Lily, "I'm exhausted."

"Sure." Said James as he led Lily over to a table to rest. "Want me to get you anything? Pumpkin juice, butterbeer, punch?"

Lily smiled. "I could use some water; thank you."

James rushed off to the refreshment table. He got some of almost everything, and brought it to Lily who was talking with Remus.

"Golly, you didn't need to bring the whole refreshment table." Said Lily.

"I know." Responded James, "That's why I only brought half."

"Well that was a smartarse remark." Said Remus.

"Bug of Remus."

"Fine, I can tell when I'm not wanted." Sulked Remus, and he walked off.

After a few more dances, James asked if Lily wanted to take a walk outside.

"Sure."

They walked outside hand in hand.

"Have you ever had a girlfriend before?" asked Lily.

James looked a little sheepish, and shook his head. "My dad told me that I couldn't until I was 15."

"Me too."

"But you're not 15."

"I didn't mean that. I meant that I have never had a boyfriend before."

James looked at her.

"No way. Someone had to have asked you out sometime. I mean... you're beautiful! How could people not see that?"

"I'm flattered, really James, but don't lie."

"I wasn't." whispered James as he turned to face her. "I'm telling the truth when I say that I have never seen anyone as beautiful as you are."

James leaned forward and pressed his lips against Lily's.

It took a while for them to come back to Earth and separate, but at the feeling they both experienced from that one little kiss, it was evident what their feelings were for each other, and everything was clear.

"I love you." Whispered James.

"I love you too." Replied Lily.

Lily grabbed James' head and pulled him towards her to engage in a passionate kiss.

Peter happened to follow Lily and James in rat form, and saw all that went on with them. If he could of, he would have launched on James like a cat on a mouse, but since he was the mouse, he could do no such thing, so he just scampered back to the party.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Lily and James walked back into the dance hall.

"Where've you been!" exclaimed Sirius, "We was about to..." he whispered to James, "you know... do... the thing."

"Oh!" exclaimed James, "I totally forgot!"

"James!" reproved Sirius, "You must have been doing something pretty interesting to make you forget this!" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

James punched his friend lightly on the arm. "Don't talk of such things Padfoot!" James winked.

"Let's go."

After James told to Lily that he and his friends had planned something, the two friends met up with Remus and a slightly noticeable sadder Peter.

"Hey Wormtail what's wrong?" asked James.

Peter, on the outside, brightened. "Nothing Prongs; I'm good to go."

"Okay Marauders, get ready for the drill."

Everyone was milling around having a good time. No one suspected that anything was going to happen, but... it did.

Suddenly, what looked like baby dogs, deer, cats, horses and more animals scampered across the floor of the Great Hall. Girls screamed as baby rats scurried around with baby cats in close pursuit.

Lily chuckled as she tried to pet a baby squirrel but failed, because her hand went right through it. The Marauders scored again. Everyone was freaked out for nothing.

What happened next, made Lily fall over on the floor laughing.

All the baby animals' parents came for them.

Just imagine this, you're just having fun with your date laughing and dancing, but then a whole load of baby animals scamper around the hall. You don't care that much seeing as you like baby animals. But then big grown up animals come in and try to get to their young. You'd be freaked wouldn't you?

Most of the students were.

As suddenly as the animals came, they all went out the doors and disappeared.

The hall filled with chatter.

Lily was surprised that the teachers hadn't done anything to try to stop it. But anyway, she was glad that they got away with it. She looked to her left, and saw a confused bunch of Marauders coming towards her.

Lily smiled. "Brilliant boys,"

"It wasn't us." Said a wide-eyed James.

Lily gaped. "It wasn't you? Who else could it have been!"

Sirius shrugged. "No one's bright enough to do that but us. I wish we had the idea…" He pouted.

Lily looked behind the boys and saw Professor McGonagall listening to their conversation. The teacher looked satisfied, and went off to eavesdrop on some other unsuspecting group of students.

James and the three other boys pulled her into a corner.

"It was us!" Remus beamed.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Well why didn't you say so in the first place?"

James shook his head. "Do you really think that we would go bragging about our splendid magnificent work in front of McGonagall! Are you getting daft Lily?"

"One question. How did you know she was there?" asked Lily.

"If something ever happened, we'd be the first ones she would check on, so we just knew she'd be there."

"Ok."

"You're not going to ask us how we did it?" complained Sirius.

"Nope." Lily walked over to Raye.

"How's did you like the animal show?" she asked.

"That was scary!" said Raye, "Was it Sirius and those boys who did it?"

"I don't think so." Answered Lily, "I mean, why would they do something that had to do with animals?"

"Yea, I guess so."

"I think I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight." Said Lily.

"Night. See you later." Replied Raye.

Lily went back to the boys.

"Night guys." She started to head out, and James caught up to her.

"Come on Tails, the night is young, and so are we."

Lily chuckled. "James, it's almost 12:00 which means that the dance will be over in a couple minutes, which means it's time to go to bed."

James got to thinking in desperate measures, "PLEASE!"

This time Lily laughed out loud. "Fine James, if it's that important to you I'll stay up. Or whatever you want to do… within reason."

James smirked. No one could resist his begging.

"Good. Let's go in the forest."

"James; I somehow don't think that's such a good idea."

"Come on! I want to show you something!"

Lily shook her head in wonder at his persistence. "Alright, if you say so…."

They went out to the gardens, and then crawled through the bushes to get to the main courtyard.

Like two shadows they snuck across the open field and over to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Once there, James and Lily weren't there anymore. They had vanished. Instead, stood a majestic stag and a beautiful unicorn.

"This way." Said James, and the stag took off running.

"No need to wait for me." Said Lily, and the unicorn took off and overtook the stag easily.

They ran and ran until it seemed that they must be near to the other side of the forest.

James slowed, and motioned for the unicorn to do so as well. He snuck around a glade of trees, and told her to go in.

Lily stepped through, and found herself in a small open place with a little pond surrounded by lilies.

She turned back into a human and gasped.

"James, it's beautiful! How did you find it without us seeing?"

James turned back human as well.

"I do a little exploring by my self. You don't think I hang out with those guys all the time do you? I mean one needs some time alone with ones self once in a while."

Lily nodded. "I guess I know what you mean."

"Change back, and touch the water with your horn." James told her.

Lily did just that.

The water visibly turned blue, then purple, and then regular again. The water was then as pure as a unicorn itself. Nothing evil or dirty would be in the water for one hour.

Lily turned back.

"Wow." She said. "It's so... clean."

"Yea." Said James, any water that a unicorn's horn touches, keeps it clean for one hour."

Lily looked at James and cocked her head. "How do you know all this?"

James' cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

"I... sort of read about them after we knew you could turn into one."

A smile grew on Lily's face. "I can't believe it. James Potter is blushing! You know, I've never seen you blush before."

"Yea Lily, I only blush for you," said James sarcastically.

Lily felt the water with her hand. "It's warm!"

"It is?" asked James.

"I thought you knew all about unicorns and water," Taunted Lily.

"Not this, so bite me."

"Only once?"

James shook his head.

"Any way Tails, we should go."

Lily slowly crawled over to James. "But we're having so much fun." She said seductively, "Wouldn't you hate it if a good chance like this slipped from your grasp?"

James covered her mouth with his own and gently massaged her lips. "You know, your right." Lily jumped up.

"Great! Lets go!" Lily dived into the pond.

James groaned. Of course she wouldn't be talking about "that". He shrugged and jumped in too. "One question Tails; what will we do when people ask us why we're wet?"

"Prongsie silly, ever heard of a drying spell? Anyway, it's night. People will be sleeping."

They splashed around for a while, but then the water started getting cold.

"The unicorn whatever must be wearing off," Said Lily. "Now we should really go."

"I'm with you." Agreed James.

They both got out and dried themselves off. Then they changed shape, and started running back to the castle. (Animals have an inner sense of direction and time, so they don't get lost.)

When there, it was about 3:00 in the morning, so they snuck up to their rooms and after saying a quick goodnight, went up to their separate beds.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"No way in bloody hell James!"

Lily burst into the common room with James running after her.

"Come on Lily; it won't even take that long!" yelled James as he stomped up to his room and slammed the door, Lily doing exactly the same. 

"Girl troubles?" teased Sirius.

James grabbed a pillow and hurled it at his friend. Then he shook his head and walked over to Sirius.

"Padfoot." He said, "Lily won't do it."

Sirius jumped up. "She has to! There's no other way we can… you know, beat them!"

James and Sirius had been trying to get Lily to warm up to Snape in order to distract him at the Quidditch game. As much as he hated for Lily to act nice to Snape, he really wanted to win this cup against the Slytherins.

"They did what!" exclaimed Raye.

"I told you." Said Lily, "They want me to go out with "Severus" for a day or two." Explained Lily.

Raye gaped, as well as Kay who was also her roommate.

"I can't believe that James and Sirius would do such a thing just for a Quidditch game," Growled Kay.

As much as Lily hated the idea of being near the royal Slytherin creep, she felt herself just wanting to make James happy.

She stood up. "Fine."

Lily knocked and walked into the boy's room.

"Okay; I'll do it."

Sirius jumped up and shook Lily's hand jovially, and then gave her a hug.

"Thank you Lily!" he exclaimed. "It's just for tomorrow morning until after the game, and then you can dump the slimy git."

"Not that I'd be going out with him in the first place Sally." Said Lily sternly.

James got up. "I'm sorry Lil; I shouldn't be making you do this. You don't have to…"

"Of course I don't have to." Said Lily, "You couldn't 'make' me do this if you tried your hardest!" She leaned over and whispered in his ear, "I'm only doing this because I love you."

James then kissed her on the cheek and said, "Thank you. I'll make it up to you; I promise."

Lily smirked. "You better." She left the room.

"Sirius, I feel terrible." Said James when she left, "It's all for a little Quidditch match?"

"Not just any Quidditch match Jamie," replied Sirius, "THE Quidditch match. The one against Slytherin."

"I still don't think it's right."

"It doesn't matter anymore. She said she was going to, so there's no going back."

That night, Lily sauntered up to Severus Snape after dinner.

"Hi Severus," She flirted. She walked a little closer to him, and whispered, "Will you go out with me?"

Severus blinked stupidly. He had had a huge crush on Lily Evans for a very long time, and here she just walked up to him and asked him to go out with her!

"Sure." He said. "And what did I do to deserve this? Wait a second; weren't you and Potter dating?"

Lily gulped. "We... got in a fight and broke up yesterday."

"Ok. Are you going to cheer for me tomorrow? Or are you still going to root for Gryffindor?"

"You of course!" Said Lily. "I have to do something tonight, but I'll meet you tomorrow morning okay?"

"Ok; see you tomorrow then." Said Severus. He kissed her on the cheek, and she smiled and walked off.

Severus growled to himself when he saw Lily turn the corner and meet up with that Potter and his friends. She had played him.

"So do you think that he bought it?" asked Lily.

"That dork doesn't know the difference between salt and pepper," Said Sirius.

"Of course he bought it." Reassured James.

Lily sighed with relief. Only one more day of being around that... that grrr, she couldn't even come up with a bad enough name for him.

Lily stopped walking for a second and stood still.

"What's wrong?" asked James.

Lily was disgusted. "Oh. My. God. He kissed me on the cheek! Ewwww! Grotesque!"

Lily ran all the way to the Gryffindor Common Room, and into the girl's bathroom to wash her face.

Sirius sat down on the couch laughing. "Ah that's disgusting!"

James sat down beside him. "Oh my gosh she's going to be so mad at me… I can't believe he touched her like that!" James growled.

"Sheesh James, you were the one who said for her to try to go out with him in the first place!" said Sirius.

"No Padfoot. You were the one who suggested that." James turned to Sirius.

"Think of the game Prongs." Sirius slowly backed up, trying to get away from his reddening best friend.

James shook his head. "It doesn't mean anything anymore Sirius; now I just want him away from my Lily."

"Whoa." Said Sirius, "You've got it bad Jamie,"

Lily came out of the bathroom.

"You're going to get it Jamie!"

James ran up to him room to prevent getting pounded by his girlfriend.

Lily glared at Sirius, and he too rushed upstairs.

Lily took a deep breath and went up to her room to tell the other girls what happened.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

It was Saturday morning. Lily woke up, and then groaned.

Raye came over to Lily's bed.

"I'm so sorry Lily dear; you don't have to do it if you don't want to, you know that."

"Yea." Lily grumbled, "But the problem is I am going to do it."

She dragged herself out from the covers of her nice warm bed, and forced herself to get dressed, making sure to wear her bright green shirt, but also her red socks.

"Don't worry Lily," reassured Kay, "It'll be over this afternoon or evening."

"Well, here goes. I guess I'm going to have to sit at the Slytherin table for breakfast." Lily shivered. "Sit with all those Slytherin creeps..."

She ran out of the room and went down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

When there, Lily saw Severus Snape call her over. Reluctantly, Lily smiled and headed over to sit by her new "boyfriend".

They made small talk, Lily making flirting comments like, "I sure hope you guys win this match." And "Please make sure you don't get hit by a bludger Severus."

Lily was disgusted with herself. But she told herself that it was all an act.

After breakfast, Lily stayed with the Severus until the game. Then, she headed up to the Slytherin section to cheer for them.

The game went on for a long time. About 3 hours actually. By the time the Gryffindors called their third time out, all the players were exhausted.

When the players went up again, the score was 130 to 100 Slytherin in the lead.

Gryffindor just scored again, when James caught sight of the snitch. Severus, the Slytherin seeker was staring at Lily, but at chance looked where James eyes were locked, and saw it too. They went for a dive. James was pulling ahead a little, but Severus was fast. They were neck to neck, and not quite in reach of the snitch, when James jumped off his broom and his hand closed over the little ball. Gryffindor won, but with a price. James kept falling. He was about 5 feet from the ground, when Sirius came up under him and caught the desperate seeker.

All the stands burst into cheers except for the Slytherin section.

It took all Lily's will power to not cheer and run down to James and see how he was after that fall. Instead, she put her hands in her pockets and headed back into the castle with the Slytherins, giving James a little smile on her way past him.

Lily went up to her room and stayed there until the guys came back. Then, she ran out to James.

"James! Are you ok?"

"Of course Lily dear." Said James; "After all, I had my bud Padfoot here to catch me. It was all planned you know,"

"Yea right it was all planned. We all know that you would practically kill yourself to win a Quidditch match." Lily shot back. "And your girlfriend too..." She mumbled. Only she and James heard it.

"Snape was looking for you outside." Said James, "Please… stay in here until tonight."

"You think I want to be out there? By the way, I'm going to write him a note saying that I'm not going to dinner, and that I'll meet him on the third floor tonight."

"You do that Lily." Said Sirius.

Lily rolled her eyes and went back up to her room.

In the note, she said that she would meet Severus on the third floor in the room by the picture of a country scene at 10:00.

She sent her owl off with it.

That night, Lily walked quietly down from her dormitory and up to the third floor. She kept thinking that she heard light footsteps behind her, but she shrugged it off. Who would be following her anyway?

When she got into the room, she waited for about 5 minutes until Severus sauntered in.

As he walked over to her, Lily felt her knees go a little wobbly with fright.

"Severus, we... we're... we can't go out anymore."

"But why my dear?" asked Severus.

"I… we aren't the same; there's nothing between us."

Then, much to Lily's surprise, Severus came towards her and pushed her against the wall, forcing her lips to meet his.

"I would have much rather you told the truth Lily flower," he said, "I knew that this was all a game for you and Potter. The only thing that stopped me from calling you a bitch and slapping you yesterday, was the thought of tonight."

His hand found its way under her shirt as he kissed her again, shoving his tongue in her mouth.

Lily was powerless and she knew it. She started hyperventilating when Severus took out a knife. With the knife, he slit her shirt so he wouldn't have to lift it over her head and break contact.

As he threw the shirt on the floor, Severus pulled away and stared greedily at Lily's half naked figure. All that was between him and Lily's full breasts was a thin lace bra, and he reached behind her to take it off.

Suddenly, someone burst in the door and shoved Severus off of Lily. Lily grabbed her shirt and tried to cover herself as best she could as that someone started beating on Severus. 

Her eyes were blurred with tears when she looked up and saw... Peter.

Snape was on the ground unconscious and Peter was hovering over him.

Lily sank to the ground in tears. She was sobbing out of control as Peter came over to her.

"I can't carry you, but I can help you to the common room." He said.

Lily leaned against him and simmered down to just a whimper, and they both walked to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Yo Padfoot," Said James, "I can't find my invisibility cloak."

"You don't think someone took it do you?" asked Remus.

"Probably not; James probably just lost it." Said Sirius.

"Where's Pete?" asked Remus.

The other two shrugged.

"Let's go downstairs and do homework." Suggested Remus, "We need to do something."

Sirius sighed. "Fine. Just because there's nothing else to do."

The three headed downstairs and found that they were the only ones there.

After a while, they heard a whimpering noise coming from outside.

"Do you hear something?" asked James.

"Yea; and it's getting closer." Said Remus.

Then the portrait door opened, and in came Peter half-carrying half-supporting a crying Lily.

James jumped up.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I found Snape trying to rape her." Growled Peter.

"Oh my God." Gasped James, he went over to Lily and picked her up and set her on a couch. He noticed her ripped shirt, and covered her with his cloak.

"Lily are you okay?" he asked softly.

Lily cried all the harder, so James just sat next to her and hugged her. "Shhhh. It's okay now; I've got you." He rocked her a little.

Remus motioned for the other boys to go upstairs.

Sirius' face was dark red with anger as he went up to his room. It was his fault in the first place that she was even near Snape. He would find someway to get back at him... Someway…

"James it was horrible!" sobbed Lily.

After a while of sobbing and rocking, Lily cried herself to sleep, and James fell asleep too. But when they woke up, Lily remembered what had happened that night before, and started crying again.

"He wouldn't stop."

James just wrapped his arm around her and rocked her.

When she quieted down a little, James started to get up to get some breakfast for them.

"Don't leave me!" Lily screamed and grabbed at his arm. "Don't ever leave me."

Just then, Remus cam in with two plates and set them down in front of Lily and James.

"Thought you might be hungry," Then he went upstairs.

James noticed that Remus was looking a little sickly, and then he remembered that the full moon was the next day.

After they ate, James brought up something new.

"Lily, you need to tell Dumbledore what happened."

Lilly shook her head.

"You've got to! I'll go with you."

"No James! No one can ever know what happened last night. They'll think I'm some kind of a whore or something... No one can ever know except for you guys."

The whole day Lily stayed in the Gryffindor tower never leaving, with James beside her everywhere she went.

Lily started to calm down, but knew she would never get over the fear of being forced to do something sexual against her will... Tomorrow she would have to go out and take classes, and see... him.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

In the morning, Lily woke up in her bed, with James lying on the floor with a blanket.

She smiled to herself, happy that she had such a loyal guy that was so devoted to her.

"Lily you're always up so late." Said Kay, who walked passed her.

"Yea. We're always like, up and dressed and ready to go by the time you wake up!" Agreed Raye.

"Well sorry." Said Lily sarcastically, "I happen to like my sleep."

The other girls just shook their heads and headed out.

"Oh yea. And he better have been on the floor the whole time." Said Kay, nodding to the still sleeping James.

When they left and Lily got dressed, Sirius, Remus, and Peter burst in the room.

"Wake up call for James!" announced Sirius.

"What are you talking about?" said Lily.

"He needs a real wake up call. No soft nudge to wake this boy up. No sirrie."

Lily was confused. She knelt down next to James and nudged him.

"James," She said in a sweet voice, "Wake up."

Much to Sirius' and the other's surprise, James turned over and opened his eyes.

"Good morning honey."

Remus smirked. "You know I read somewhere that if there is someone that is real hard to wake up, and some person of the opposite gender comes along and is able to wake him/her up easily, that they are destined for each other."

Lily looked at him.

"You know I wouldn't mind that destined part, but the rest, Rose, was total bull."

The boys chuckled and left the room.

"You wouldn't mind the destined part?" questioned James; raising his eyebrows.

"Not at all." answered Lily.

James sat up and kissed her.

"Me neither."

James got up, (he was fully dressed), and frowned.

"Are you sure you're ready to do this?" he asked.

"I have no choice Prongs, I have to go or else people will think that something happened to me." Replied Lily.

"Something DID happen to you Tails; you have a big excuse."

Lily shook her head and started to the door.

"Let's go."

She held out her hand.

James took it warmly.

"It's all going to be fine." He whispered in her ear, and they went out and down to the Great Hall for breakfast to start the day.

At the Great Hall, the two walked in hand in hand and sat down at the Gryffindor table. Breakfast was served, and they ate up.

Lily kept glancing over across the room to the Slytherin table. Snape was there chatting away with his friends like nothing ever happened besides the fact that he glanced over at Lily once and flashed her a devilish smile.

Lily shivered.

"Are you okay?" whispered James.

Lily nodded.

James sent a sharp look over in Sanpe's direction. Snape gulped and looked back at his other friends.

When the five friends were on their way to their first class, they were whispering about that night.

"We can't let you go by yourself!" whispered Peter.

"Guys, think about this." Said Remus, "I've done it before you guys found out, so it'll be fine. And plus. I can't go anywhere with you, because it's going to be extra bad tonight."

The others relented reluctantly. They wouldn't go with Remus tonight.

Sirius then got a brilliant idea! At least he thought so.

The classes went well for Lily. At least… as well as could be expected.

The first one was Potions.

The professor was a kindly old Gryffindor witch who knew potions very well, and seemed to have a soft spot for Lily. Her name was Chloe Driskill.

When Lily glanced over at Snape, he looked back and mouthed "Mudblood".

Lily slipped in shock, and dumped in a little more dragonroot than she meant to, so the potion made a little explosion and a cloud erupted above the cauldron.

James and Professor Driskill looked over, as well as the rest of the class.

"You seem to have a full mind today Lily." Said the professor, "Maybe you should sit out today and just watch one of your classmates." Suggested the professor.

Lily cleaned up her station, and went over to sit by James.

"What did he do to you?" asked James.

"How do you know that he did something?" asked Lily.

"Tails, you wouldn't make an explosion in potions unless something bad happened."

"Nothing happened." Denied Lily.

"Of course something happened; tell me Lily." James persisted.

"He called me a mudblood." She mumbled.

James felt himself grow red. Nobody calls his girlfriend a mudblood and gets away with it! In fact, it is not a thing for anyone to say.

Lily put her hand on his shoulder.

"Relax."

Next, was Divination.

That professor was a rather new witch named Tulip Wolfox.

The fifth year Gryffindors were again pared with the fifth year Slytherins.

"Today class," said the professor, "We shall practice tealeaf reading."

A few of the students groaned. As to say that they didn't have the gift, and weren't that good at it. Lily was one of those few.

The professor went on talking.

"Now you will need to pair up with a partner," she explained again for the millionth time of how the tealeaves worked.

"Move it Sally." Said Lily as she pushed Sirius out of a seat next to James and sat in it herself.

"Sheesh Lance," joked Sirius, "I can take a hint."

He turned around and looked for Raye, but not before glancing at Lily and James and showing them a good view of his tongue. (To explain it to you of simple vocabulary, he stuck his tongue out at them).

"This stuff makes no sense Jamie." Pouted Lily, "I do not see how all this mumbo jumbo tea grit means anything."

"Me neither Lance," James replied, (AN: Sorry for all these interruptions, but I just wanted to tell you that I think it weird of James to call his girlfriend a boy name, Lance. But, they did agree to the names so... oh well!), "but it just does."

James shoved their teacup in front of Lily.

"Now just look in and tell me what you see."

Lily looked in.

"I see a bunch of tealeaf grit."

"Come on Lily; look closer." Prodded James.

Lily concentrated.

Vaguely, the small form of a raindrop was seen in the cup, or was it a tear drop?

"I think I see a raindrop." She told James.

Professor Wolfox came over.

"Ah. That is where you are wrong." She stated." You can only know or not know. There is no in-between. Do you or do you not see a raindrop in your cup?"

Lily glanced at James and rolled her eyes.

"I see a raindrop in my cup Professor. Either that or a teardrop."

And do you know what it means?" inquired the professor.

"I'm not sure."

"Mr. Potter? Do you know what it means?" the professor turned to look at James.

"Ummm," James thought, "I think it means that either something sad or hurtful will or has happened to you recently."

Lily and James looked at each other and shared worried glances.

"That is correct Mr. Potter!" praised the professor, "5 points to Gryffindor. Do watch out Ms. Evans." She emptied the teacup. "Now let's see what you see James."

James did the necessary proceedings, and then looked into his cup.

He looked over at Lily and smiled. Then at the professor.

"I see two hearts overlapping each other."

"Ah." Sighed Professor Wolfox, "You will have a strong and enduring love with someone, and you and this person will be bonded together in marriage happily." She looked back at James. "But perhaps that is a little too much information for one of your age." She winked and went to look in at another table.

Lily and James looked at each other for a second.

James then leaned over and whispered in Lily's ear, "And why not?" he kissed her on the cheek.

After Divination was lunch.

When James and Lily were walking to lunch, (The others were walking a little behind), Lily was jabbering away.

"Well I guess the day didn't go as bad as I thought. I mean, I know it's not over yet, but I baled out of potions, divination was easy, and after lunch is double charms, which is my best subject. For a bad day today was pretty good."

When they reached the Great Hall, James caught sight of Snape a little behind them. He was going to lag behind and give his ass a little beating, but, no. He walked into the Great hall with his girlfriend.

Little did he know that Sirius did in fact lag behind.

Sirius grinned to himself, then walked by Snape muttering to himself with a note clutched in his hand. "The knot in the Whomping Willow… The knot in the Whomping Willow."

"What are you saying Black?" inquired Snape.

"Nothing!" said Sirius, a little too quickly.

Snape saw the note in Sirius' hand, and grabbed it.

He read the note to himself, and Sirius rushed off. Curiosity killed the cat.

Note:

"Got to remember... 9:00 tonight at the Whomping Willow. Press the knot in the tree trunk."


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Don't you just love these? Anyway, we own nothing. Only our own writing skills, (Which aren't much), and the plot. (Not really.) I guess we can safely say that we own at least half of the plot. ;)

Chapter 15

After lunch, the gang headed to Charms class.

"I bet you're happy Lance. Double Charms. Your favorite class." Commented Remus.

"And you are right about that Rose. I couldn't be more happier." Replied Lily. "Well I guess I could be a bit more happy considering a certain event that took place a couple nights ago." Lily shivered. A habit she took to using whenever she thought of that fateful night.

"Well it's my worst class." Said James. "Sure it's all fun and games for you Lily, but it's torture for me."

"Torture? When you get to sit by me? How could you?" said Lily, pretending to be insulted.

"Oh of course not my lady, I take back everything I said about hating Charms... Not!" he took off running.

Lily chased after him.

"Not if I can help it!"

James ran smack into Professor McGonagall.

"I know you know that there is no running in the halls Mr. Potter."

"Yes sir, I mean mam." James put on his innocent/pleading smile.

"Well I'll forgive you this time, but be at class tomorrow 5 minutes early."

"Yes Professor, thank you."

"And 5 points from Gryffindor!" she said as she walked off.

"Well why did she say she forgave me if she punished me anyway?" James muttered.

"Busted." Lily came up behind him.

"Not really. Just have to be at class five minutes early tomorrow." Replied James.

"Well that's cool, cause it's right after lunch. Now let's go!" insisted Lily, and she pulled James to the Charms classroom.

"Good afternoon Professor Flitwick." Lily greeted the professor.

"Good afternoon to you Ms. Evans." Replied the professor; "And to you Mr. Potter."

"Yo." Grunted James.

Lily giggled and pushed James down in a chair.

"No need to be Mr. grumpy."

James gave her a look, and Lily realized that there was need. Even though the act was done, it would never go away, never stop haunting her. 

For the class, they first practiced summoning and banning things.

"I don't see why we have to do this." Complained James, "We learned this last year."

"Maybe he ran out of things to teach us?"

They both laughed.

It turned out to be a review of all the things they had learned in the pervious years.

After Charms, classes were over for the day, so all the students headed back to their Common Rooms or outside to relax.

"I'll see you guys later!" Lily called after the guys, she walked over to Raye and Kay.

"Hi Lily." Replied the girls.

"Been hanging around with those losers all day?" asked Kay.

"Kay." Reproved Raye, "No matter what you think, us two are going out with two of them, so bad ideas to yourself okay?"

Kay giggled. "I was just joking. Those guys are cool; not to mention hot."

They all giggled.

"Hands off James, girl. He's definitely mine for keeps." Lily teased.

"Oh, I wouldn't touch him if my life depended on it." Kay replied.

The three girls went up to the Gryffindor Common Room laughing their heads off.

When in their room, the girls all plopped down on Lily's bed.

"So spill Lily." Said Raye, "Why were you acting so weird yesterday."

"And Why was James in here this morning?" asked Kay.

Lily noticeably saddened.

"I wasn't acting weird…" she mumbled.

"Sure Lils. You weren't acting weird, and I am going to marry James." Said Kay.

"Fine, I might have been acting a little weird girls, but I can't tell you why."

"Tell us tell us tell us!" chorused the two girls.

Lily got mad. How could they be forcing her to tell them something and acting so happy about it? Maybe she would tell them and see how they felt then! But than again… she would be giving in to making someone do something and she didn't want to do that…

She sighed.

"Fine. I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to tell ANYONE. Okay? And you have to promise that you won't make me do anything I don't really want to ever again okay?"

Kay gasped. "You didn't do anything with James did you?"

"Eww. NO! I'm only 14. That's disgusting and wrong!" squealed Lily.

"Well the way you were acting I have reason to think that something did happen!" Kay defended herself.

Lily leaned close to the girls.

"Remember how I acted being Snape's girlfriend?"

The two nodded.

"Well… I met up with him that night to tell him that we had to break up, and he…" Lily took a deep breath, "tried to rape me."

The two gasped.

"I'm so sorry Lily!" exclaimed Kay.

"Me too... You shouldn't have acted like that!" said a wide-eyed Raye. "How far did he get?"

"He ripped my shirt off…" Lily shuttered and the girls all flinched.

"When will people learn that you should always meet someone in the day, or have a person with you when you have to do something like that?" Said Kay.

"Well why did he stop? Does James know?" asked Raye.

"He stopped because Peter came in and knocked him unconscious, and yea James knows. Why do you think he was with me all yesterday and was so close to me today? I wouldn't let him leave me."

"Well that explains everything." Said Kay. "I was wondering what was up with the two of you. But… Peter?"

The day wore on, and dinner came and gone.

James, Sirius, and Peter were in their room thinking of ways to thrash Snape. Remus had gone with Madam Pomfrey to the Whomping Willow an hour or so ago.

"I don't think we will have to worry about Snape anymore." Said Sirius boastfully.

"Why? What did you do?" inquired James.

"I kind of slipped and said that he should go to the Whomping Willow at 9:00."

James shot up. "Sirius! You can't do that!"

James glanced at his clock. It was 8:50. 10 minutes until Snape, (knowing him), would go to the Whomping Willow and get himself thrashed.

He ran out of the room and all the way down to the Great Hall and outside after throwing on his invisibility cloak. When he got to the big tree, James threw off his cloak, and stepped in front of Snape who had already pressed the knot, and was about to go in.

"You can't go in here." Said James.

"And why not Potter?" said Snape, "You can't stop me."

James sighed. "There's a werewolf in there."

"And why should I believe you?"

"Why shouldn't you? I don't know how you can't see that Sirius was just getting you into a trap giving you that note."

"He didn't give me the note. I took it." Defended Snape.

"You're so stupid that you don't even know that Sirius wouldn't let you take anything of his without a beating. That's what happens when you do something to a marauder or a close friend of one. Suddenly, you've got more than one or two people on you." Explained James.

"Why would you try to save me?" asked Snape.

"Because whatever you did, even try to rape my girlfriend, you don't deserve to die."

"If I really did rape your girlfriend, you would want me to die, don't lie."

"Well maybe I do, but that doesn't mean I want Sirius to be the one to do it."

"So tell me… who is this werewolf you speak of? Is it Pettigrew? No wonder he so wimpy. Anyway, move it. There's obviously something interesting in there, and I want to see." Snape pushed past James, opened the entrance, and slid down.

"I don't see any werewolf. You're definitely hiding something down here, and I'm going to find out what it is!"

James groaned in frustration. Would he stop at nothing?

Suddenly, out of the dark of the tunnel in the tree came an earsplitting howl. The werewolf had smelt blood. Human blood.

Snape stopped in his tracks.

"Get out of there." Said James.

Snape stood rooted to the spot.

"Move it!" James exclaimed.

He could see a dark shape bounding towards the entrance. He couldn't wait any longer, James grabbed Snape and shoved him out of the tunnel and closed the door.

Snape turned to James.

"You planned this!"

James gawked.

"That was your friend Lupin in there, and you all tried to kill me! Well you know what? I'm not dead, but Black's going to be tomorrow morning when I tell the Headmaster." Snape stomped off to the castle.

James put his cloak on and started walking as well.

"Sirius, you are in big trouble, but not as much as you would be…"

"What happened?" asked Sirius.

"I stopped him, but he's definitely going to tell tomorrow morning. What were you thinking! I mean, he could have been killed! Not to mention how bad Remus would feel that he would have hurt someone like that!" explained James.

Sirius ran a hand through his hair. "God… I didn't think of it like that. I guess I screwed up huh?"

"Yea you screwed up."

Peter shook his head. "Man that was so close. But we're going to beat up Snape anyway right? I mean, you haven't gone all soft or anything on Snape now have you James?"

James gave Peter a sharp look. "Of course not! Pete, he tried to rape my girlfriend. Do you actually think that I would just forgive him like that? No way. He is going to get it and get it good."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Mr. Black, please follow me." Said Professor Driskill, the head of the Gryffindor house.

Sirius gulped and looked at James. They knew that this was going to happen.

Sirius got up and followed the stern Professor out of the Great Hall and up to the Headmaster's office. No doubt he was already up there.

"Sit." Commanded Professor Driskill.

Sirius sat in the seat across from the headmaster Dumbledore, while the Professor stood to the side.

They waited until soon Professor Dowling came in. He was the head of the Slytherin house, and the Professor that taught Care of Magical Creatures. (The Marauders chose not to take that class for that pacific reason.) With him came Severus Snape.

Sirius sank down in his seat and shut his eyes tight for a second. He thought about what he should tell them about why he told Snape about the tree. Lily had told them all that she wanted no one to know about what happened so she would be rather pissed if he told them the real reason.

"Mr. Black." Said Professor Dumbledore, "I think we all know why you are here this morning."

"Headmaster Dumbledore I…" Sirius started.

"It's not his fault!"

Lily and James burst in.

Professor Dumbledore shifted in his seat.

"Oh yes? And just whose fault is it?"

"Sirius was provoked." Said James.

Professor Dowling spoke up.

"However it happened, nothing could be provoking enough to almost kill another person."

"It sure seemed like it at the time." Mumbled Sirius.

"So what did provoke you Mr. Black?" asked Professor Driskill.

Sirius gulped at looked at Lily. Lily looked over at the menacing Snape. He met her eye, and glowered at her. Lily looked back at Sirius and nodded.

"May I go to the restroom Professor Dowling?" asked Snape.

Professor Dowling looked at Dumbledore, and upon receiving a nod, he said, "I suppose, but come right back as soon as your… adventures are over."

Snape hurried out of the room.

"As you were saying?" said Dumbledore.

Sirius closed his eyes tight and then opened them again.

"Snape tried to rape Lily."

Dumbledore looked up at Lily.

"Is this true."

A single tear slipped out of Lily's eye as she nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me this?" asked Dumbledore.

"She was scared that he would hurt her if she did." Explained James.

"Oh poor dear!" Said Professor Driskill as she came over to comfort Lily.

"I see." Said Dumbledore. "Well." He turned back to Sirius, "Under the circumstances then, you won't be expelled Mr. Black."

Snape cautiously snuck back in.

"You will have two months detention." Dumbledore went on, "With Mr. Snape here."

Sirius let out a sigh of relief that he didn't get expelled while Snape scowled.

Professor Dowling and Professor Driskill nodded in agreement, while James stood up.

"What! You mean Snape isn't going to get expelled! He invaded Lily's personal space! Touched her without permission! It's a criminal offence worth of Azkaban!"

"Show up for your first detention tonight at 7:00 at professor Driskill's classroom." Dumbledore addressed Sirius and Snape, "Every night you will have detention wherever a teacher needs help. And if no one needs help, we will find something else for you two to do."

The two doomed students nodded while James fumed, and Lily tried to calm him while trying to keep her own temper down as well.

"That will be all for now. I suggest you all go to your classes. Lily and James went out, and when Sirius and Severus were going out the door, Dumbledore said something that practically made Sirius' heart break.

"I'm very disappointed in both of you."

"I'm so sorry Lily." Sirius told Lily as they were walking to herbology class.

"For what? I bet I'm more sorry than you." Lily put her arms around both of the black haired guys.

"If it weren't for me you wouldn't have even gone near Snape in the first place. And I'm sorry that you had to tell Dumbledore what happened for me."

"Sirius, it's probably better that he knows. All is forgiven." She reached up and gave him a peck on the cheek, and then she turned to James. "But what I want to know, is why did you tell Snape not to go in? I mean I would think of all people, besides me, you would want him to be dead as chopped ham."

"Are you kidding? I want him gone all right. But I do not want my best friend here to be dead because he was." Replied James.

"Thanks guys." Said Sirius, "I just don't think sometimes. I want to, but my brain just doesn't get it."

"It's fine Sirius." Said both Lily and James.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"As always, the Yule ball will be held December 23," Professor Dumbledore announced. "Have a good day."

"Do you think you'll be allowed to go Sirius?" asked James, when they got out of breakfast.

"Sort of," Sirius said, "Professor Driskill told me yesterday that I would be serving drinks."

"That says you all over." Teased Peter.

"Oh thanks for the sympathy girls," Grumbled Sirius.

"I'm sorry Sirius." Said Lily as she gave him a hug.

"I always knew I liked you Lily." Said Sirius.

"Hey, watch it." Warned James.

Sirius grabbed Lily's hand and started running.

"Come on Lily! Let's run while we have the chance!"

They laughed and slowed down for the others to catch up.

"I see how it is." Said James when he came up.

"Just joking Jamie." Said Lily as she gave James a kiss.

"So who's everyone going with?" asked Remus.

"Lily." Said James automatically.

"Oh really?" inquired Lily, "I don't recall you asking me about my opinion in this little matter."

"Will you go to the ball with me Lily?" James asked.

"Sure James." Responded Lily.

"If she wants to still go with me I'm going with Raye." Said Sirius.

"I'm not sure who yet." Said Peter, wit an unnoticeable bitter glance at Lily.

"Well guess who I'm going with?" asked Remus.

"Who?" asked everyone.

"Butter."

The four others stared openly.

"No way!" exclaimed Sirius, "Not that totally hot chick in 6th year!"

"The very same." Grinned Remus.

"Did you ask her already?" asked James.

"No." said Remus.

Everyone's face turned skeptical.

"She asked me."

"Whoop! Lucky you." Whistled Lily, "She's hot."

The boys looked at her.

"What? She is! It doesn't mean I like her or anything, that's disgusting. It just means she's hot."

They still stared.

"Oh come on." She pulled them into the classroom.

"It's snowing outside!" Lily exclaimed.

She and James were sitting in Lily's room playing cards.

"Come on!" she exclaimed.

Lily rushed over to her closet and pulled out all her snow stuff.

"Go get you're stuff Prongs!"

James grumbled something like, "bloody cold", but went anyway.

In about a minute, both Lily and James were fully suited in snow clothes, and were running down the halls to get outside.

When they got out it was nearly dark, but Lily didn't care. She went to a rather deep snowdrift and fell over on her back. She moved her arms and legs back and forth, and got up. What was left in the snow was a snow angel.

"There." Said James. "You made a snow angel. Can we go in now?"

Lily bent down and made a snowball.

"I don't think so!" she threw the ball and hit James on the chest.

"You made a BIG mistake in doing that Tails!" James exclaimed, "I am the head of the Marauders! And that means that I am very good at throwing snowballs."

Lily laughed and threw another snowball.

"That doesn't help any if you just stand there talking!"

James stooped own and formed a snowball.

"Here's one for you!" said James as he threw it.

Lily screamed and ran.

But you can't outrun a snowball thrown by James Potter.

The snowball hit Lily on the soldier.

James went down to make another snowball, and Lily ran.

Then, James heard a little shriek and a thump. He looked up.

Lily was lying in the snow about 10 feet away.

He ran over to her.

"Lily are you okay?"

She didn't move.

James shook Lily. She still didn't move, so he picked her up and ran into the castle as fast as he could go.

He was heading up to the hospitable wing, when he ran into Professor Driskill who had something like a note in her hand.

"What happened?" she asked James.

"She just fell! And it's not like she passed out or anything, because she won't wake up!"

"Oh dear." Said the professor; "This is getting to be a bad day for Lily. Well, let's get her up to hospital wing."

When in the hospital room, Madam Pomfrey rushed over.

"Set her down on that cot right there." She said.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Why did you say that this was getting to be a very bad day for her?" James asked Professor Driskill.

They had gotten Lily onto a bed, and were waiting while Madam Pomfrey used different reviving charms and potions on her to try and wake her up.

"I don't know if I should tell you this before telling Lily, but. I guess it won't hurt anything; Professor Dumbledore got this note that the ministry sent for Lily." She handed the note she held in her hand to James. "Her parents are dead."

James skimmed through the note.

"Ms. Lily Evans. We regret to be the ones to inform you that your parents, Robert and Gene Evans, have passed away this morning at about 9:00. They have been a target of the Dark Lord Voldemort, and were found deceased in their beds this morning, while the house had the Dark Lord's mark hovering over it. We give you our greatest condolences, Kevin Potter: Minster of Magic"

James gasped.

"Why would he want to kill her parents?" asked James.

"Who knows for sure?" replied Driskill, "It could be anything. Maybe he had a specific reason, or maybe he just did it out of boredom."

James shook his head in disgust; how could anyone be that heartless?

"She's coming to." Announced madam Pomfrey.

All three of the people focused their attention fully on Lily.

Lily slowly opened her eyes and lifted her head.

"What happened?" she murmured.

"Lily! You fell when you were outside…" Replied James, "Maybe the cold got to you."

"I've been doing that a lot lately. Fainting I mean. I don't know why." Said Lily.

"Well, It's very unusual, but I can find nothing wrong with you." Said Madam Pomfrey, "You may go, but I strongly suggest that you go straight to bed. If I find you doing anything else, you will have to sleep here."

Lily got up.

"Thank you guys, but I feel fine! Nothing's wrong with me."

Professor Driskill, Lily, and James walked out.

"What's wrong James?" Lily asked, "You seem so glum."

James gave Lily the note that Professor Driskill had given him, and the professor left.

"I'm very sorry Lily." She said as she walked off.

"Sorry about what?" asked Lily; she had no idea of what was going on.

"Read the letter Tails." Said James.

Lily stopped in the hall and read the letter. When she was done, she calmly nodded.

After sniffing a little, she said, "I knew it would happen soon. I was going to tell them to hide, but what good would that do? You-Know-Who would find them anywhere."

James was shocked. "How did you know?"

"A lot of kids here are loosing their parents. Especially Muggle-born kids, in which category I am in."

The two walked back up to Gryffindor tower, said goodnight, and Lily went straight up to her room.

Lily looked around and made sure no one was in the room, and then she fell on her bed and burst into tears.

James was worried how Lily would be by herself, so instead of going up to his dorm, he took the stairs on the other side and went up to Lily's room. He stopped at the door of her room, and heard her crying.

"Of course," James thought to himself, "She didn't want to cry in front of anyone. She really does care a lot..."

He tapped softly on the door, and then let himself in.

Lily was on her bed crying, but she quieted a little bit when she heard James came in.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I came to keep you company." James replied, "It's not good for you to be alone right now."

Lily nodded. "I guess not."

James sat down next to Lily on the bed, and she leaned against him.

"You can cry in front of me Lily." James reassured her, "What do you think I'm for anyway?"

Lily cuddled up to him.

"Only to comfort me when I'm sad." She said as the tears started to fall again.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Guys! Wait up!" Lily exclaimed as she ran after the Marauders. "Guys!"

Lily dropped onto the floor.

Hearing her voice stop, the boys turned around to see what happened to their lady friend. They had just pulled a prank, and were running away to get as far away as possible for when someone saw it.

When they turned around, James gasped.

"Not again!" he exclaimed.

They went back to get Lily who was lying unconscious on the floor.

"What happened to her?" asked Remus.

"I'm not sure." Replied James, "She did this a few days ago too. I have no idea what's wrong with her."

"Well let's take her to the hospital wing." Suggested Peter.

The boys carried the fainted girl up to the hospital wing.

"She fainted again?" exclaimed Madam Pomfrey.

"Yeah." Said Sirius, "We were just... running! Yea, running! And she just... just fell over."

Madam Pomfrey just shook her head and restored Lily.

Lily lifted her head and looked around, and then slumped back onto her pillows.

"Not again." She whined.

"Not again what?" asked madam Pomfrey.

"Me. Here again. Pain." Replied Lily.

"Pain?" asked the nurse.

Lily nodded her head.

Madam Pomfrey check Lily to see if she had any bones broken or hurt, but no. Everything was in its place and where it was supposed to be.

"What hurts exactly?" asked the nurse.

Lily shrugged and then winced because of the pain it caused. "Everywhere any anywhere."

Madam Pomfrey looked at her funny, and shook her head. She pushed the boys out.

"I'm sure you troublemakers have something to do."

With many complaints, the boys left.

Madam Pomfrey turned back to Lily.

"Maybe you should get some sleep."

She walked over to a medicine cabinet and got out a potion. She poured some of a potion into a goblet, and gave it to Lily.

"This will help you get to sleep."

Lily took the cup and drank it with no complaints.

Within a few minutes, Lily was lying peacefully on the bed.

Madam Pomfrey looked at her sympathetically one last time before she went into her office and waited for the next poor victim of pain to come in.

Lily awoke to the sound of someone opening a door and walking in. She opened her eyes and saw a cloaked figure crossing the room.

Lily was terrified of this person, when he entered, her pain intensified.

It crossed to the nurse's office, and stepped in. After a second Lily heard a little yelp and a thump.

She then saw the figure's shadow coming back to where Lily lay. (It's night by now.) She tried to cover herself with her blankets, but, as many know from experience, it didn't work.

It stopped by her bed, and Lily knew se was seen, so she decided to stand up and face whatever was there head on.

She pulled the covers off, and tried to stand up. It didn't work, so Lily just glared at the cloaked figure.

"Who are you? And why are you torturing me?" she whispered.

The figure removed his hood.

"You may address me as Lord Voldemort. And I have come for you."

Lily shuddered.

"Why? And what have you done to Madam Pomfrey?" she asked.

"Oh. Her." Replied Voldemort, "I just stunned her. I was going to kill her but... I surprise even myself sometimes. And as for you, I am picking out some students here at Hogwarts and giving them the chance to join me. They would finish their 7 years here, with a few meetings with a few others and myself of course, and once their time here is up they would come join me full time. You should consider yourself lucky. You are the only Muggle I have and will ask to join me. You have exceptional powers that I could… use."

Lily just stared at him.

"Oh. And choose your answer carefully. If you refuse you will be punished. Maybe not for a few years but oh yes, you shall be punished. I will see you again, and when I do, you will have an answer for me. And remember, I can see you whenever I wish, so do not tell anyone about this little chat we have had." He put his hood back on, and left.

The intense pain Lily had felt when he arrived, lessened and soon melted away.

"The pain must come from him." Lily thought, "Whenever he's near me I have a sharp pain so I faint. That must be it!"

Then, everything blacked.

When Lily awoke and found that the pain was gone, she quickly got up and went into Madam Pomfrey's office. She saw the stunned nurse on the ground, and revived her. When the nurse asked what happened, Lily was going to tell her, but then she remembered the last thing Voldemort had said to her. "I can see you whenever I wish, so do not tell anyone about this little chat we have had." She decided that it wasn't worth the risk, and said that the nurse must have fainted.

"I'm turning into you now aren't I?" asked Madam Pomfrey jokingly.

"I feel all better now Madam Pomfrey; can I go?" asked Lily.

"Well… are you sure you feel all better?"

"Positive."

"Well alright," Agreed Madam Pomfrey, "Just please be careful!"

"Yes mam."

Lily turned and left the room and went in the semi dark to the Gryffindor tower with a lot to think about. She had to make one of, if not THE, biggest decision of her life.


	20. Chapter 20

AN: A little bit of sexual reference in this chapter.

Chapter 20

James wondered what was wrong with Lily. Ever since she had gotten out of her last trip to the hospitable wing, which had been three days earlier, she had been distant and always looked like she was deep in thought.

"Hey James!" Sirius busted into the 5th year boy's room. "What's up with you and Lily? Did you break up or something?"

James shook his head. "No… I don't know what's wrong."

"James!" Remus barged in. "What's wrong with you and Lily? Are you two taking a break or something?"

James chuckled. His buds always made him laugh.

"You had to have planned that. I'll go see what's up." He walked out and up to Lily's room and knocked on the door.

"Come in." James heard from inside.

He opened the door and walked in.

"Do you know where Lily is?" James asked the two girls Raye and Kay.

"She's probably off thinking to herself somewhere like she has been for these past few days." Replied Kay.

"And," interrupted Raye, "She said that if in any case you asked where she was, to tell you Water Lilies. I have no idea what it means, but I guess you do… do you?"

James nodded. "Thanks girls." And rushed out of the room. He needed no time to think about what it meant, he knew right off the bat.

The pool.

Prongs slowed down when he saw the pool, and stopped when he saw Lily in a bathing suit, swimming in the pool.

Prongs changed into James.

"It's dangerous to be out here alone you know."

"Mmmm." Replied Lily.

"Lily," James pleaded, "You've got to talk to me... Please! I can't stand it, I need you."

Lily dived under the water.

"You leave me no choice," James muttered to himself as he took off his shirt and dived into the water. He caught Lily, and brought her up out of the water and set her on his lap.

"Now please tell me what's wrong!"

Lily looked at his questionably for a moment, and then smiled.

"I was just thinking."

"Well obviously. You do know that you've been avoiding me ever since you came out of the hospitable wing don't you?"

"I wasn't avoiding you James," answered Lily, "I was just busy thinking, that's all."

Now it was James' turn to look at Lily questionably.

"So what did Madam Pomfrey say that was making you pass out all the time?"

"Well," said Lily slowly, "that's what I was thinking about. She said nothing was wrong. It's weird... I mean, I eat good enough that I don't pass out from lack of food, I don't pass out from the heat since it was freezing cold when we were outside having a snowball fight, and it's not from cold because I have been completely warm and have passed out. So I just have no idea what could be wrong!"

"Well you're fine now, so stop thinking about okay? It's taking you away from me..." James said.

"Okay, I'm all yours." Lily snuggled up to him.

James cupped Lily's chin in his hand and lifted her head.

"Forever?" he asked.

"Forever." Lily replied.

James brought his face forward and their lips met. He felt an urging down in his middle, and slid his tongue along Lily's lip until she parted hers and allowed it to explore inside of her mouth, clashing with hers occasionally. James slid his hands down along her side stopping at her waist, and scooted her off of his lap and laid her down on the soft green grass.

Lily gazed up lovingly at James when he broke the kiss.

"I love you."

James kissed her again, and this time was painfully aware that she was only in a bathing suit, and he just in his shorts. Both of them were damp from the pool, and James found it amazingly erotic.

His lips wandered down her neck, stopping to nibble right above her collarbone when she gasped with pleasure.

James' hands skimmed Lily's bare stomach, almost afraid to venture anywhere else, but then started to move down and slightly tugged at her bathing suit bottoms.

Lily suddenly sat up and grabbed James' hands.

"I'm sorry but… I just can't."

She burst into tears.

James was confused; weren't they having a wonderful time? Why would she be crying?

"What's wrong Lily?" James pressed, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No… well… It's just too soon." Lily looked up into James eyes, "It's too soon after… Snape…" She turned her head and started crying again.

James understood. He didn't' want to be like bloody Snape and force her to do something she didn't want to. He would never do that, especially to someone as special as Lily…


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Girls!" cried Kay, "Emergency! I don't have a dress for tomorrow night!"

"No way!" exclaimed Lily, "You don't have a dress for the ball? Is that possible?"

"It must be, because I don't have one!"

"What are we going to do?" Raye fretted, "I don't have another dress for you, and Lily's robes don't fit you… we have to get to Hogsmeade."

"But we can't!" exclaimed Kay, "We just had a Hogsmeade trip like a week ago, and I missed it!"

"Just for the record Kay," asked Raye, "What were you doing that was so important that it kept you from getting your dress at Hogsmeade?"

"None of your business." Replied Kay. "Just get me to Hogsmeade."

Lily brightened.

"The guys should know! They know almost everything about this whole school!"

"Sure Lils. I don't think they know everything; that's just typical of a girl to think her guy knows everything." Joked Kay.

"No I'm serious!" replied Lily, "I'm sure they know a way out of the school! I'll be right back."

Lily ran out of the room and into the boy's dorm.

"James!"

James turned around from doing his homework.

"Yes?"

"This is an emergency! Kay doesn't have a dress for tomorrow night, so I need you to show us a way to get to Hogsmeade so we can get her a dress right now!" Lily said.

James looked at Sirius and shrugged. "Alright, I'll show you the easiest way there. Get the girls."

Lily ran back and got the girls to come into the boy's dormitories and then James and Sirius took the girls to a statue of a one-eyed-witch.

"Dissemendius." (AN: I have no idea how to really spell it.) Said James, and amazingly, the statue moved aside to reveal a passage.

"Whoa!" Said Kay and Raye.

"Believe me now?" asked Lily.

The two girls nodded silently.

"Believe what?" asked James.

"Nothing oh great and wise boy of mine." Lily nuzzled up to James.

"Let's go." Said Kay, and she started walking down the hidden hall.

Raye followed.

"Well in this case, I'm coming." Said James. "We'll make this an official Gryffindor 5th year Hogsmeade visit. You girls go ahead. I'm going to get the rest of the Marauders and we'll catch up to you."

"Okay." Replied Lily. She gave him a kiss, and ran to catch up to the other girls.

James and Sirius used their map to find the other pals, and they all went to Hogsmeade.

"So where are we going first?" asked Sirius.

"To get my dress of course." Snapped Kay, "That IS why we came in the first place." Kay was snappish because she didn't plan her day spending time with anybody really but herself, and certainly not with four hyperactive boys.

"Well sorry Kay." Snapped Sirius, "No need to be so mean, we were the ones to show you how to get here anyway."

"You did no such thing." Replied Kay, "James was the one who showed us."

"Kay," interrupted James, "Most of what I do Sirius does, and in reverse. So with all do respect, when I showed you the passage, it was like Sirius was showing you it."

Kay rolled her eyes.

"Whatever." She went ahead into the robe shop.

James and Sirius looked at each other and grinned.

Lily saw the look and shook her head.

"You guys are impossible."

"Well she asked for it." James defended himself, "We show her a brilliant way to get out, and she acts all stuck up!"

"James," replied Lily, "Kay IS stuck up. But it's good to have her friendship anyway, she can be really nice. You just need to get to know her."

"I don't want to get to know her." Said James.

"Well that's good," agreed Lily, "I don't want you to get to know her either. Just be nice okay?" She pouted.

"Agreed."

"Good."

Kay stuck her head out the door.

"Lily! Raye! Are you girls going to help me pick out something or what?"

The girls rushed into the shop.

"We'll meet up with you boys at The Three Broomsticks in an hour." Lily yelled over her shoulder. 

"Sheesh." Exclaimed Remus, "Just take your time! It takes them forever to just pick out one dress! That's just wrong."

"Well," said Sirius, "Just look at the bright side. We don't have to out up with Kay."

"True," Agreed the other boys.

After looking for a while, Kay found a dress that suited her, and they met the boys at The Three Broomsticks.

"So who are you going with to the dance tomorrow anyway Kay?" asked Remus.

"Lucius Malfoy." Replied Kay.

"No way!" exclaimed James. "Not that prejudice kid Malfoy!"

"He's not prejudice." Kay defended.

"Okay your right. He's not prejudice… If you think it's fine to go judging people if they're pureblood or not!" James jumped up. "Just think! I show you a way to get out of the school, and you use it to get a dress to go to the dance with that bastard Lucius Malfoy."

Kay jumped up as well. "Shut up Potter! You're just jealous!"

"Sure Stevens! Why would I be jealous? I have absolutely no reason to be jealous of Malfoy!" he turned to the others. "Let's go."

When they all started walking out, (Kay as well), James pulled Lily back.

"We have to put a memory charm o her. She can't remember this passageway. Especially since she's going out with a Slytherin. She'll tell, and then everything will be… ruined!"

"Okay James. And please don't be mad at me, I had no idea that she was going to the dance with him."

"Yea, I know you wouldn't bring her here if you knew Lily. But when we get back to the Gryffindor Common Room you have to put a memory charm on her, please?"

"Okay." Lily replied, "I will."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The girls walked into their room.

"How can you girls go out with guys like that?" exclaimed Kay, "They are SO annoying!"

They are fine to me." Retorted Raye.

Lily, (Who was holding Kay's bag which had her dress in it), only said, "Maybe you should sit down for a minute Kay; take a few deep breaths."

Kay did just that; and when she did, Lily took out her wand. She pointed it at Kay and muttered a memory spell.

Kay opened her eyes.

"Girls!" she exclaimed, "Emergency! I don't have a dress for tomorrow night!"

Lily sighed in relief. The charm had worked. Kay didn't remember anything since the afternoon.

She handed the bag she was holding to Kay.

"I didn't see you at the trip to Hogsmeade, and I didn't think you had one, so I got you this one. I think it'll go perfect on you."

Kay tilted her head to the side.

"Thank you Lily; I didn't think you noticed." She went in the bathroom to try it on.

"Why did you do that?" asked Raye.

"James made me do it, because she could tell Malfoy, and... you know, it's the Marauder's secret." Lily replied.

"I see. So they don't want anybody outside of our little group knowing about this right? Especially not a Slytherin."

"Right." Lily nodded.

Then, Kay came out of the bathroom with the dress on. She ran over to Lily.

"Thank you SOOOOO much Lily!" she exclaimed, "I would have picked exactly this if I was there myself!"

"I know." Muttered Lily.

Raye decided to go along with not knowing anything, and asked Kay a question that she already knew the answer to.

"So who are you going with Kay?"

"I was going to tell you," said Kay, "But I think I'll keep it a secret."

"Do you really like him or are you just in it for his looks?" asked Lily.

"Both." Replied Kay, "You're acting like you already know who I'm going with."

Lily and Raye shook their heads rapidly.

"No. We know nothing."

"We only know what you told us."

"Honest!"

Kay shrugged and sat on her bed.

"I'm going to see James." Announced Lily.

"I'll go with you." Raye said, "To see Sirius I mean."

They went out and knocked on the 5th year boy's dorm.

When someone said, "Come in." from inside, Lily opened the door and flopped on James' bed.

"That was close." She sighed.

"What happened?" asked Peter.

"I put a memory charm on Kay so she wouldn't remember the secret passage, and it worked, so we had to act totally innocent like we knew nothing. It was hard!"

"Where's Sirius?" asked Kay.

All the 5th year Gryffindors were in the room except for Sirius and Kay.

"He has detention remember?" said Remus.

"Oh yea. I'm going. Have fun with these three guys Lily." Raye winked at Lily and left.

Lily rolled her eyes.

"We have no respect for the school rules." Said James, who was holding Lily's hand, "A girl in the boy's dorm. What will we think of next?"

"Now be sensible Jamie." Joked Lily, "Who actually slept in the Girl's dorm?"

James stiffened. "Now that was in desperate measures. And I'm sure you enjoyed my company."

Remus raised his eyebrows.

"You slept in her room Prongs? And just when was this?"

Lily spoke up.

"It was after the whole Snape thing, and he slept on the floor thank you very much. You already knew that anyway." She huffed.

"Well sorry missy," Remus shot back, "I'm not the one who brought it up."

Lily took a quill she had in her hair and started twirling it around in her fingers.

"Ha!" exclaimed Remus, "You have nothing to say to that! I win this round."

"But this round only Rose, only this round." Retorted Lily.

There was an awkward silence.

"I'm bored." Lily exclaimed.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

James straightened his robes as he headed down his stairs with Remus, to get Lily to go to the dance.

Sirius had gone ahead to help get the Great Hall ready for the dance, (remember the detention), and Peter had disappeared somewhere a while ago.

"I still can't believe I'm going with Butter." Said Remus, (for the fifth time).

"I know. You've said that a million times, you can stop now." Replied James. "By the way, we don't have a Marauder plan for tonight do we?"

"Nope." Said Remus, "Sirius will be busy with the drinks and stuff, and I'll be busy with Butter." He wiggled his eyebrows. "And not to mention you will be busy with Lily."

James shook his head.

"That just leaves out poor Peter."

"Don't feel bad for him James." Remus said, "He's just shy. If he wanted to he could get a date, but he's become more distant since you and Lily started going out. And don't feel bad about Lily. You said she told you that she didn't even like him even before you asked her out."

"I guess so." Responded James, "But I actually still think that he does hold a little grudge against me."

They heard a throat clearing, and they looked up.

James was able to keep his mouth together this time, but just barely. She was even more beautiful than at the Halloween dance.

"Wow." He said.

Lily smiled and descended the stairs.

"I seem to remember exactly the same scenario a few months ago." She said.

James grinned.

"But, if you look closely Lily, you will notice that I have been able to keep my mouth closed this time. Not that the sight is worse, it's actually even better, but from lots of self restraint."

Lily looped her arm around James', and they went out to the Great Hall. 

Peter was taking a walk around the lake before the dance started.

"_No one would even miss me_." He thought to himself.

When he was out of sight of anyone who just happened to look out of the castle and see him, Peter felt a presence beside him, so he turned his head. To his surprise, he saw a cloaked figure walking beside him. Peter stopped and faced him.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"You may address me as Lord Voldemort." Replied the figure. "And unless I am much mistaken, you could use my help."

"What?"

"Just let me guess your story. You are brilliant, but just not in a way that your friends see, because they treat you like you know nothing, and that they would do better without you. But you keep them as your friends because you are in their grade, and they are your only friends. You hold a big grudge against one of them in particular, and because of that, you wish to be powerful. Is this right?"

Peter nodded in fascination.

Voldemort continued. "I can help you on your way to greatness. You need only join me. I will give you a little time to think about it, but not much. If you decline my offer,"

"I don't need time." Peter interrupted, "I will join you."

Lily was completely happy as she danced in the arms of her boy. It was odd; when she was with him, she didn't feel like she was 14, she felt much older. It felt like they should be together forever.

"You don't have anything planned for tonight do you?" she asked James.

"Nope." He replied, "You're the only thing I have planned for tonight. It's only you."

Lily sighed and relaxed. "I want it to always be like this James. Just you and me."

James looked around and whispered in Lily's ear "I hate to break it to you Lily, but we are actually surrounded by people."

Lily smiled and pulled James' head down and kissed him.

"Not in my world."

They danced for a little bit longer until Lily had to go to the restroom.

"I'll be right back." She told James as she headed off.

As Lily rounded a corner and out of sight, she fainted.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: We own nothing and no one that you recognize, and some other things too. Raye and a couple others are ours. We could just say that we own nothing okay? Okay.

Chapter 14

The first thing Lily noticed when she opened her eyes, was that she was no longer in the Great Hall. She was in a classroom near it, but far enough that no one could hear her.

When she lifted herself up on her elbows, she noticed that she was not the only one in the room. In the other corner was standing… Voldemort.

"What do you want?" Lily whispered.

"I have come for your answer." Voldemort replied. "Will you join me? Or will you suffer the consequences?"

Lily's brain went into ultra speed mode as she figured what to say. She had been thinking about what her answer would be ever since Voldemort had first come to her with the question.

Then, in her moment of brain speed, she came up with her answer. She would not join his side, but she would try to put off being killed for a long as she could.

"I haven't made a decision yet Voldemort." She wisely answered, "I need more time to think."

Voldemort looked at her, as if he were trying to make a decision.

"Very well. I will grant you your wish. You will have more time to think." Voldemort gestured that she could go. "But remember, tell no one."

Lily nodded, and went out and started back to the Great Hall.

About half way there, Lily met James coming towards her.

"Lily!" he exclaimed as he ran over to give Lily a hug, "Where were you? You've been gone for about an hour! The dance is almost over."

"I'm sorry James." Lily replied, "I passed out again, and I just woke up."

"Somewhat the truth." She thought to herself.

"Oh... Are you okay?" James inquired.

Lily nodded. "I'm fine."

"Lily, I don't think you should go anywhere alone anymore." Said James.

Lily looked up at James. She was so happy that he came to that conclusion without Lily having to tell him about Voldemort. But being Lily, she had to put up a small fight.

"James, I really don't think that's necessary I"

"No." James interrupted, (just like Lily knew he would), "It is very necessary. We can't have you fainting and nobody knowing where you are!"

"James!" the two looked down the hall to see Raye and Remus running down the hall, "You found her!"

Lily looked at them both questionably.

"You guys were looking for me?" she asked.

"Of course!" Raye exclaimed, panting. "You were gone for an hour, where were you?"

"She fainted." Said James. "And I have come to the conclusion that she can rarely ever be somewhere without someone watching her."

Isn't that a bit extreme James?" asked Raye.

"Nope." James answered. "If she faints and no one knows where she is... just think about it!"

Remus nodded. "I guess I see what you mean."

Lily shrugged, (smiling inside), "Fine."

"So do you want to go back to the dance or do you want to go back to the Common Room Lily?" asked James.

Lily thought for a second before saying, "I think maybe I should go to the Common Room. I don't know if I could take all the people… I'm sorry." Lily thought for a minute. "What happened with Butter Remus?" asked Lily.

"Oh." Remus blushed. "It turned out that she just asked me because of a bet."

Lily looked at him sheepishly. "Sorry."

"It's fine." 

"We're going upstairs." Announced James.

"Do you want us to come with you?" asked Raye, "Or do you think James will be able to handle you Lily?" she winked.

"I think we can take it from here Raye." Replied Lily, "But thank you for trying to find me."

Remus and Raye rolled their eyes and went back to the dance.

"So..." James trailed off.

Lily held out her hand and James took it warmly.

Up in the Common Room, no one was there. All the students that were in their 4th year or up were at the dance, and the rest of the kids were in their rooms.

James and Lily sat down on the couch.

"Do you have any idea why you keep fainting Lily?" asked James, meaningfully looking into her eyes.

Lily looked straight back, and tried to keep a straight face and not brake down and tell James everything like she wanted to.

"I have no idea James. I'm sorry for ruining your night."

James sighed.

"Don't worry Lily, it's not your fault, I'm sure. I'm just glad I have you."

Lily smiled sheepishly and curled up against her boyfriend.

Sirius, Raye, and Remus came in.

"Ohhh." Sirius teased when he saw James and Lily cuddling and kissing on the couch, "You go James."

Lily and James broke apart, faces red from embarrassment.

"Oh don't let us stop you." Raye teased, "Proceed, please." She pushed Sirius and Remus up the boy's stairs and into their room, and then went into her own room, giving Lily a wink.

"Well that was unusual." Said Lily to James.

"Yes, but very convenient. Don't you agree?" answered James.

Lily nodded and moved forward for another round of snogging.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Lily reflected on her life at Hogwarts as she packed to go home and say goodbye to Hogwarts forever as a student.

In Lily's 6th year, she was a prefect as well as Remus. The year passed pretty uneventful if you can call any year uneventful when you have 4 Marauders and a Lily around. She had always been escorted by a Marauder, Raye, or just any person who was going the same direction. Then, in this past year, she was titled Head Girl, and James had been Head Boy.

She had a few visits from Voldemort; even though the Marauders had done their best to never let Lily alone. Voldemort found little spaces of time that Lily was alone to visit her to ask the question he had asked ever since that first time when Lily was in her 5th year. Lily and answered every time that she hadn't had enough time to think, and that she was not fully sure yet. Voldemort had caught what she was doing about the third time she had said it, but Lily amused him so he played along with her, knowing that if he ever tired of her he could just kill her.

On a more normal subject, Lily was off to stay with her Grandmother Lilac with whom she had stayed with over the past couple summers ever since her parents had been murdered. She was a nice lady, but she was getting on in age, and was slowly becoming invalid.

"I'm sure going to miss this place." Lily told Raye, who was putting all her stuff into her trunk.

"Oh I know!" Raye exclaimed, "Me too! It's been, like, our home for the past 7 years."

"6 for me." Lily corrected her friend.

"Oh yea." Said Kay, who was also packing, "How does it feel to be out of school at the age of 16 Lily?"

"Weird, but I'm not 16 anymore girls." Lily said, "Today's my birthday. So now I'm 17. I'm going to really miss you guys though. And I wonder how James and I will be after today."

Raye and Kay exchanged crafty glances while Lily was absentmindedly stared off into space looking at a picture of herself and James at their 7th year graduation dance. They had heard rumors about something.

"So what's going on with you and Malfoy, Kay?" asked Lily, tearing her eyes away from the picture.

"I'm not really sure. He lives quite close to me, so I don't think that we'll have trouble seeing each other." She turned her attention to Raye. "And you and Sirius?"

Raye frowned. "Oh I don't think we'll have much trouble seeing each other."

"Why?" asked Lily and Kay,

"I'm breaking up with him."

"WHAT?" Lily stood up knocking some things on the floor that were in her lap. "Why?"

Raye sighed. "I knew this would happen."

"Just tell us." Said Kay.

"Sirius and I didn't ever have that spark between us like you and James, Lily. Or even, I hate to admit this, you and Malfoy, Kay. We tried to go out even though we didn't have the spark, but it was never fine and dandy. And when we leave, it'll be so hard to see each other, that it just won't be worth it." Raye flopped backwards on her bed.

Lily shook her head. "I don't think that's true, and I think that you are going to hurt Sirius very much doing this, but it's your choice."

Kay tried to change the subject to a lighter note.

"So what are you girls going to do for a living now that school's out?"

Raye shrugged. "I'll probably work as a waitress somewhere for a while until I get my plans together."

"Lily?" asked Kay.

"I've talked to Professor Dumbledore, and have learned that professors Driskill, Dowling, and Jennings are both retiring from Hogwarts, and so three teacher positions are open. I have applied for Professor Jennings' job as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. And if not that, then Professor Dowling's job as the Care of Magical Creatures professor."

Kay's eyes opened wide.

"Do you really think Dumbledore will let you teach? You're so young! Especially to be a defense against the dark arts teacher!"

Lily shrugged. "You know Dumbledore, he always makes the best choices, and if he says that I shouldn't teach because I'm too young, I'll go along with whatever he says."

"Deep Lily; deep." Said Raye. "But you still haven't said what _you're_ going to do Kay."

Kay thought for a moment. "Well. I'm not really sure yet. I want to do something where no one will see me." She paused a minute before continuing. "I'll probably work at some small shop near my town or something."

Lily and Raye grunted to show they were listening while attempting to shove their trunks closed.

Kay brightened.

"Oh yes! Did I tell you guys? I'm changing my name!"

Lily glanced over to show that she was interested.

Kay did a drum roll on her bedpost with her hands. "Narcissia!"

Raye burst into a coughing fit to cover up her laughter.

"Why would you want to change your name to that?" she asked.

"Lucius liked it." Kay sulked.

Raye burst out into peels of laughter, rolling off her bed.

Kay looked ruffled. "You are so immature Raye." She said as she threw a pillow at Raye.

"Come on girls." Said Lily, picking up her trunk, let's go.

While Kay stood up, Raye said, "Hold on a minute." And she went to the edge of her bed and pointed her wand at the bottom of it, and said, "Engrave."

At the corner of her bed appeared a little sun.

Raye smiled at her work, and picked up her trunk to go.

"What was that about?" asked Kay.

"Oh, just something for the school to remember me by. Even if barely anyone will see it."

The three girls went out of their rooms and down to the Great Hall where they would meet the Marauders. (And on Kay's part, Malfoy).

Lily shrunk her suitcases and put them in her pocket. While they went down the corridors, Lily said, "Well girls, we have our wizarding diploma. Now we don't have to go a whole summer without doing magic."

"You're right!" exclaimed Raye, also shrinking her suitcase. "But I'm keeping all my school books, because I can't remember all the spells we've ever learned."

"Me too." Agreed Kay.

They neared the Great Hall, and Kay stopped.

"So I guess you guys don't want to sit by me and Lucius on the way home huh?"

Lily and Raye shook their heads slowly.

"Sorry," said Lily, "But we don't like Lucius; you know that."

"Yea, because he's a stupid retard." Raye added.

Kay shook her head. "Raye, sometimes I wonder how you'll do in the real world."

Kay gave both Lily and Raye hugs, and went off to find Malfoy.

"What if she marries that git?" asked Raye, not expecting an answer and not getting one.

When they found the Marauders, they all went outside and got into a couple carriages.

Lily, James, Sirius and Raye in one, and Remus and Peter got in one with a couple of newly graduated Ravenclaws.

Lily sighed. "I still can't believe that we're done with school. I mean, it's over! No more, gone, done with, out of here, we're never coming back, it'll never see us again,"

"We get you're point Lily." Interrupted Sirius.

Lily stuck her tongue out at him.

"Sirius." James whined, "I wanted to see just how many phrases she could come up with."

"You guys are so immature." Said Raye, rolling her eyes.

"And I remember someone saying the exact same thing about you not five minutes ago?" teased Lily.

Raye shrugged and smiled. "Actually it was about 10 minutes."

Lily noticed that Sirius had tried to put his arm around Raye, but she shrugged if off her shoulders.

When the carriage stopped, the four got out, and went into the train that was waiting for the students.

For a while, the Marauders and the two girls sat in silence as the train left, and it was well on its way before anyone said a word.

No one had said anything about Lily's birthday, and she was just thinking of bringing it up when Raye grabbed Sirius by the arm.

"I need to talk to you."

Sirius complied, and went with Raye out of the compartment.

Conveniently, Remus and Peter needed to get something to eat, and that left Lily alone with James.

They both waited for a second, and then James broke the silence.

"Lily," he gulped, "I need to ask you a question."

Lily tilted her head to the side. "Sure."

James smiled and got down on the floor on one knee.

Lily gasped; just realizing what James was about to do.

"There's a reason I haven't mentioned you're birthday. I wanted it to be a surprise, and I am really surprised that it is still a secret to you when almost everyone else in the school knows, so... consider this a birthday present. Even though it would be more of a present to me, okay I'm rambling. I'll get to the point. Lily, I love you, and I have for a few years; you know that. But now, I want to prove that love to you." He took out a small black box. "Lily, there's no one else in the world that I would rather spend the rest of my life with then you." He opened the box to revel a beautiful diamond ring. The diamond was in the shape of a lily. "Lily Marie Evans, will you marry me?"


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"YES!" Lily exclaimed.

She launched on James giving him a tight hug.

"I love you too and I will marry you!"

James grinned and hugged her back.

Lily pulled back for a minute.

"But not right away. I am only 16 you know."

James kept his grin.

"You forget your own birthday? You're 17 today."

Lily smirked. "You know what I mean Prongsie." She said, playfully hitting James on the shoulder. "Let me try on the ring!"

Now it was James' turn to smirk.

"No." he held the ring box in his hand, "I was thinking that I should keep it on a wall to show off my bravery."

Lily launched on him, trying to wrestle the box from his strong hand. Finally, James relented and handed Lily the box.

"I knew you'd see it my way." Lily said victoriously.

"No," James responded smugly, "I did what I wanted."

Lily opened her mouth in surprise, and saw that she was on the floor underneath James. She lightly smacked James and got back a full kiss on the mouth.

Remus opened the compartment door a little, and then shut it again.

"Have you ever noticed," he said to Peter, who was there with him, "that whenever we walk in a room that they are in, they are always doing that?"

Peter shrugged.

Then, a very angry Sirius pushed passed them, and went into the compartment.

"Well I guess it's safe now." Remus muttered to himself, "I wonder what's bugging him?"

Right before he went in though, a very ruffled-looking Raye shoved passed and into the compartment.

"What a weird distorted world we live in." Remus shook his head and went in the compartment.

Lily and James were back on the seat now, with Raye sitting next to Lily, and Sirius on the bench on the other side of the compartment. That is where Remus and Peter plopped themselves down on.

"What are you doing in here?" Sirius asked Raye.

"You can't kick me out Sirius! I was here first. And plus! I'm here for Lily." She put her arm through Lily's.

Lily shook her arm off.

"Sorry Raye. I'm taken." She said. "Engaged that is."

Lily showed the group the diamond lily ring she had on her ring finger on her left hand.

Raye gasped and looked closely at the ring.

"So you really did it James?" she said. "I thought it was just a rumor. I never though you would really ask her. You're too young to get married!"

"They never asked you." Said Sirius hotly to Raye. Then he turned to Lily and James. "I think it's a fine age for you guys." He said, just to contradict Raye.

James noticed something odd going on, and so he came right out and asked.

"What's going on with you two?"

Sirius and Raye sent each other angry glares, and then at the same time said,

"Absolutely nothing."

James looked at Lily and said, "Okayyy... Sorry I asked."

They were sitting in the train for a bit, when Lily sat up and headed out the door taking James with her.

When they were out, James said,

"What are you doing Lily?"

Lily flashed him a grin, and then held up her hand.

"To tell everybody of course!"

Lily went in all of the compartments telling everyone that she and James were now engaged. She told EVERYONE. Even people she didn't even know.

When they got to the last one, James was starting to complain.

"Lily. I know it's exciting being engaged to me and all," (here Lily gave him a playful little punch), "but you don't need to tell the entire population of Hogwarts."

Lily grinned at her fiancé.

"Too late. This is the last door."

With that, she opened the door.

What she found, were definitely not her favorite people in the world.

Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy.

It didn't really help that Kay was sitting on Malfoy's lap.

Lily decided that she would do what she first intended to do, and then leave.

"James and I are engaged." She said holding her left hand up.

Lily couldn't help but see that James was sending Snape death glares.

Kay slid off Malfoy's lap and bounded over to Lily.

"No way! I can't believe it! You have to tell me _everything_!"

"Okay." Said Lily, "But we have to come out of this compartment full of devils." She sent Snape a killer glance.

"Lily!" Kay revoked, "That is my boyfriend you are talking about."

"I have a right to my opinion." Lily simply said.

"Well, okay." Agreed Kay.

The three, (James, Lily and Kay), went out of the compartment, and Lily and Kay started to talk.

"I'm going back to our compartment love." James said, kissing the top Lily's head.

Lily smiled, nodded and went back to talking.

James smiled, and went back to the compartment, thinking that if he left Sirius and Raye alone in there for too long, either of two things could happen. Either they would kill each other, or they would get so tired of being mad at each other that they would make up. James hopped the latter would happen, but he went in anyway.

When James opened the door, he saw Sirius and Raye glaring at each other, neither one looked like they had blinked for quite a while.

"As much as I hate to brake up this little staring contest," said James, stepping in-between them, "I really don't think your eyes appreciate this battle. So please blink for goodness sake!"

Sirius looked up at James, saying, "James, if you want me to act normal, send her out of this compartment!"

"I can't." James stated, "It's not my job to kick a person out of here. Plus." James added, "We are supposed to be grown-up responsible adults now. So act like it!"

The group settled down for a bit, and then Lily came back in the compartment.

A little bit after that, Kay knocked and came in. She sat down by Lily, and the two talked. A second later, Lucius Malfoy came in.

James jumped to his feet.

"Get out Malfoy." He commanded, "Get out of here now or I swear to God I'll curse you, and you know I'm better than you."

"Piss off Potter." Malfoy retorted, "I was just here to tell Kay that we're almost there and that she should come back and get ready. You don't actually think that I would be in here intentionally without a reason, do you Potter? You are pathetic."

James took a step towards him, but Lily and Kay held him back.

"Don't do this James." Lily said, looking over at Malfoy, "He's not worth it."

Kay went over to Malfoy, said goodbye, and they left and went back to their compartment.

"It's not my job to kick people out of here. Plus. We are supposed to be grown-up responsible adults now. So act like it!" mimicked Sirius. "Remind you of anything Jamie?" he teased.

He and Raye laughed and gave each other a high five.

Raye shook her head.

"I can't stand this anymore." Said Raye to Sirius. She went over and sat by him. "I'm sorry, will you take me back?"

Sirius appeared in deep thought for a moment, and then he threw his hands up.

"Oh what the heck. Of course!"

Sirius took her in his arms, and dipped her, giving her a long kiss.

"Oh what the heck!" James threw his hands up, mocking Sirius, and took Lily in his arms and kissed her.

Remus shook his head and looked over at Peter.

"People these days. No respect. No respect at all. Just rub in the fact that us two guys here have no girlfriends."

James, Lily and Sirius and Raye all broke apart for a second to all throw something at Remus, and then went right back to what they were doing before.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Okay guys," Remus said, "the train is stopped. I think you should all break it up and get out."

James and Lily stopped snogging, and both found something to throw at Remus.

Sirius and Raye on the other hand... well, they ignored him altogether.

Lily stood up.

"Bye everyone! I'll see you later I guess."

James got up with her.

"Wait Lily! You've never met my parents have you?"

Lily shook her head.

"Okay," James said, "Then you have to meet them now."

He said bye to everyone, and then headed out the compartment.

Lily stayed for a second and said bye as well.

Sirius and Raye stayed right where they were and kept snogging.

"Raye Donnie Cash! Get up and give me a hug this instant or I will leave without saying goodbye to you!" Lily yelled.

Raye pulled away from Sirius instantly and gave Lily a hug.

"I'll see you very soon okay?" she told Lily.

"Yep." Lily replied. "Bye Sirius!"

She rushed out after James.

"But what if they don't like me?" Lily worried.

Lily and James were sitting on a bench just outside of the platform waiting for the Potters to come and pick James up. (Lily would take the bus to her grandmother's house in half an hour.)

"Don't worry." James reassured her, "I've told them all about you and they can't wait to meet you!"

Lily looked slowly at James.

"Did you tell them that you were going to propose?"

James looked back guiltily. "Not exactly."

Lily's eyes opened wide.

"James are you crazy! That is NOT smart. Some parents would rather make their child stay single forever then have them get married without them knowing! And what if. I don't know, MY dad would go crazy if you didn't ask him first. Unfortunately we don't have to worry about that..." Lily went on rambling for a second, until James put his hand over her mouth.

"Lily, don't worry. My parents aren't like that; they will be thrilled!"

Lily bit her lip. "Okay. I'm just… nervous. I'll be fine, they'll like me, I just need to relax. Calm down, It'll be fine,"

"Lily!" James interrupted. "Stop. It's fine."

Lily kept muttering, "It's fine, it's fine, it's fine," over and over again, that James just covered Lily's mouth with his own. Lily responded immediately.

They were deep in their kiss, when James felt someone's eyes on him. He broke the kiss and looked over and saw his mom and dad standing there watching them.

James blushed lightly, and saw Lily turn a shade of beet red.

He jumped up and gave both his parents hugs as Lily stayed sitting on the bench.

"Mum, dad," said James, turning towards Lily, "This is Lily. My fiancé."

His mom and dad looked stunned.

His mom was first to recover, and she went over to Lily and gave her a hug.

"What a lovely surprise!" she said, "I'm sorry that we stared for a minute, but someone forgot to tell us that he was proposing." She glared at James.

James shrugged. "Sorry, I forgot."

His dad snapped out of shock.

"Yes. Very lovely to finally meet you Lily dear, James has told us so much about you!" he said.

"All good I hope?" Lily replied.

"What bad is there to tell?" said James.

"Would you excuse us for a minute Lily?" asked James's mom.

"Of course." Said Lily.

James and his parents walked a few feet away and started whispering. Lily heard a few snatches of the conversation.

"Are you sure that you are old enough to actually get married?"

"I don't know if you are even mature enough!"

"When?"

"How long exactly have you been dating again?"

Lily smiled. Parents. They were all the same. They always made it a one- sided conversation. She only wished that she could have another conversation with her own parents. Even if it was one-sided.

She studied how James's parents looked.

Mr. Potter was thin and well built. His eyes were hazel. "Just like James…" Lily thought. His hair was blonde, sleek, shiny, and combed back neatly. "Not like James." Thought Lily again. She looked at Mrs. Potter. A hat covered her hair, so Lily couldn't tell if her hair was wild and black or not. She had a strong suspicion that her hair was covered because of just that. Mrs. Potter was very sleek had a very nice figure for a woman her age. Her eyes were big and bright blue. Lily thought that she was a woman that would turn all the men's eyes when she went somewhere.

They started to come back over, so Lily adverted her eyes to somewhere else.

"So." Said Mrs. Potter to Lily cheerfully, "When's the date?"


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

After greeting her grandmother, Lily walked into her room, magically shrunken bags still in her pocket, and flopped down on her bed.

She thought about what she and James had planned. They were going to wait about a year to get married. That would give them both time to get started in their new life away from Hogwarts and to get settled in their new jobs whatever they might be.

Lily sighed. What might come next in her life? Her life had been so full at Hogwarts; how would it be now?

"Dearie!" her Grandma Janet called as she walked slowly into Lily's room, "There's a letter here for you."

Lily took the letter that her grandmother held, and with a peck on her cheek, Lily opened the letter, expecting it to be from James.

Grandma Janet left her to her letter.

"Dear Lily." Said the letter, "I know we aren't the best of friends, and that I haven't even talked to you since mum and dad died." Lily sighed. "But anyway, I'm getting married, and you are invited. I didn't really want to invite you, but you are the last of my immediate family. I suppose you can bring you're boyfriend, (if you even have one), and... yea. It's on the 1st of July at the Real Reel Resort. You know where it is, right near our used-to-be home. The wedding starts at 6:00. Please DO NOT do any… _magic_ there if you come.  
Petunia Evans (Soon to be Dursley)"

"Wow," Thought Lily, "I never would have thought."

She looked at the calendar hanging up in her room, (dogs), and saw that it was already the 28th of June.

"Oh my." She thought to herself, "Of course I will go, but it's so soon! She should have written me sooner."

Lily then walked out into the living room where her grandma was watching her TV and asked her, "Did you just get this letter today?"

"Oh no." replied Janet, (We're just going to call her grandmother: Janet from now on), "It's been here waiting for you here for about a month now."

Lily opened her mouth in surprise. "_Why didn't Petunia send it to Hogwarts_?" she thought, "_Maybe because she didn't know how to send it there!_" said the smarter, more practical part of her brain.

She went back into her room and took out a paper and a quill.

"_Dear James" she wrote, "Love you just as much now as ever before, if not more. It's only been a couple hours, but I miss you so much! I got a letter from my Muggle sister. You've never met her by the way, but she's getting married in four days and invited you and me. You'll come right? RIGHT? Okay, I haven't even unpacked yet so I guess I'm going to do that right now. Give your parents my just recently earned love. I love you SSSOOOOO MUCH!  
Lily_

P.S. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO"

Lily put the letter in an envelope and wrote "James Potter" on it and gave it to her owl to take to him.

She then took her shrunken bags out of her pocket, restored them to their regular size, and started unpacking her clothes. Each thing that she took out, she looked at and remembered the times when she wore them and reminisced about Hogwarts.

Then she unpacked her other stuff and put them away in her drawers.

By that time, Janet had called her for dinner.

James and his parents waited and talked with Lily until it was time for her to get on her bus, and then James longingly watched her leave.

"Time for us to go dear." Said his mother.

"Yea yea." Replied James as he turned to the car, "I'm coming."

"She seems like a very nice girl." Said James's dad, watching James unpack.

"She is." Replied James, wishing that he was with Lily right then.

"I bet you just can't wait for the year to pass huh?" said James's dad. (Kevin.)

"Yeah." said James, "It'll be so lonely without her. You know I've seen her practically every day for, like, 3 years."

"Ah." Kevin Potter nodded in agreement. "I remember when I was your age. It was almost the same thing with your mother, but just a little different."

James cocked his head as if saying, "Tell me more."

"Well," Kevin continued, "you're mother and I were like sworn enemies in our 1st through 4th year. She was in a group called the Stars, and I was a loner and a prefect. She and her gang liked to gang up on me and play practical jokes on me, and prank me. When we came back for our 5th year though, we both found out that we had changed a lot over the summer. Well... we kind of got together, and by Christmas, were completely in love. And on Christmas of our 7th year, we both went home for the holidays, and we secretly got married."

James smirked.

"You're parents didn't even know?" he asked.

"Oh no." said Kevin, "They would never let us get married. Let alone at the young age that we were. You see, the Potters and the Hubbards, (James's mom's maiden name), did not get along at all. So, after we got out of school, we saw each other in secret for a while, and then we broke the news to our parents. You can imagine just how mad they were."

"I think I can." Said James.

"Well, both our families were so mad that they disowned us both. That's why you have never seen your grandparents."

James was shocked. "I never had any idea! How come you never told me all this before?"

"Well," said Kevin slowly, "I never really thought about it, and I was kind of waiting until you were going to get married yourself so you would know just how it was for us. You know, love is a powerful thing."

"Wow," Said James. "It really is."

Just then, James heard a tap on his window, and saw an owl trying to get in, so he hopped up and opened the window, recognizing the owl.

He then opened it, and read the letter that Lily had just written him.

"May I ask who from?" asked Kevin politely.

"I think you just did." Said James. "But it's from Lily. She says that her sister is getting married on the 1st of July and she has invited Lily and I."

"Have you met her?" asked Kevin.

"No, but she is Lily's sister, so I guess we should go for her."

"I suppose so." Said Kevin. "I'll leave now so you can write back." He turned to go. "By the way James," he said, turning back, "You still want to try to be an Auror right?"

"Yep." Answered James, getting a paper and a quill.

"Well then you better send a letter to the Auror department saying that you want to attend their school, because you should try to get in this year. If you miss this year's intuition you might have to wait another year, and that wouldn't be good. Besides, I bet they need all the Aurors they can get because of Voldemort. I heard that he's gathering followers and wants to become the next Dark Lord. Don't ask me how I know this." He left the room leaving James wondering.

"_Well coming back to reality."_ Thought James, "_Your girlfriend just wrote you and she would very much like to be answered as would I like to write_."

_  
"Dear Lily," her wrote, "Ditto to all you said. Love you so much; I miss you! Of course I will come to your sister's wedding as long as you go with me! I'll apparate to your place on the 1st at what time? Do you think we should stay at the hotel there that night? It's a Muggle place right? We can afford it. My dad is, after all, the Minister of magic. Did Dumbledore write and tell you about the teacher position yet? I still want to be an Auror, so I have to write and tell the Auror department about my desire. I'll wait a bit to write and tell them so I can see what you say about it. You know, if that teacher position doesn't work out you could join me in Auror School. Maybe... Okay, I'm sending my owl with this because I want an answer to my questions and so your owl doesn't have to get so very tired coming back and forth. I LOVE YOU! James_"

He sent his owl off, after saying thank you to Lily's owl and telling it that it could just go home.

Lily was washing the dishes, excited because she put an automatic washing spell on the dishes with her wand for the first time.

"And who says that the dishes won't clean themselves?" said Lily laughing.

Three owls flew in the room. One, Lily's, flew down the hall to Lily's room, and the other two stopped and stretched out their feet, showing their letters.

Lily took both of them, and recognized the handwriting as both James' and Dumbledore's.

As much as she wanted to read James' letter, Lily put it down and ripped open the letter from Dumbledore, hoping that in contained information about the teacher job.

"_Dear Ms. Evans." It said, "I have thought about your offer for a teacher position very thoroughly, but I have decided to reject your offer." Here Lily sighed. "Please do not take it personal, but I have had quite a few letters auditioning for a job here, and you do seem a bit too young. I am terribly sorry. I'm sure it will not be hard for a girl like you to get a job. Perhaps in a few years if you are not satisfied with the job you will have, you could apply here again, but until then I encourage you to do something that you will enjoy. Please do keep in touch; I would very much like to keep in contact with you. By the way, I hear you're getting married. Mr. Potter, correct? Congratulations! You must tell me when.  
Always your friend and adviser, Albus Dumbledore_"

Lily sighed again. "Oh well. I guess I am kind of young to be a professor. Maybe James' letter will cheer me up." She picked up James' letter and opened it.

"Maybe I should be an Auror," Lily said after she read the letter. It would be dangerous, but at least they could use me for something useful, and I could be near James too! That's a definite plus."

The more Lily thought about it, the more she liked the idea of learning how to be an Auror. She turned James' letter over and wrote,

"_Dumbledore just wrote me and said that I was too young to be a teacher. By the way, how did you know I asked him about it? I think that I will try to go to Auror School with you. At least my powers would be used there and not just be wasted working at some Muggle fast food joint. Ha! Come over at 5:30. The wedding starts at 6pm. So since we can both apparate, we can get there fast. Alright, we might as well stay at the resort. It's really nice, and amazingly, not too expensive. Okay, I love you, and as much as I love hearing from you, we should probably stop writing to each other for at least today because the owls are probably getting tired. Love you!  
Lily_"


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"I'm leaving, Grandma!" called Lily, "I won't be back until tomorrow!"

She turned to James and grinned. "You do clean up well." James had worn a Muggle suit, and plastered his ever-wild hair down with pounds of wizards styling jell.

"May I say the same?" responded James.

Lily had worn a black long dress with sliver and gold sparkles.

"Let's go." Said Lily.

And with a crack, both Lily and James were gone.

"I love it!" exclaimed Lily, when her and James arrived around the corner to the resort by apparation, "Apparating is so awesome!"

"Oh that's right huh?" said James.

"What?"

"You just got your apparating permit. I forgot. Most of us people who just graduated got theirs last year."

Lily shook her head in mock disgust. "Everyone forgets my age. Even my own boyfriend!"

They both laughed and rounded the corner to one of the resort's gardens where they could see some people dressed up and milling around.

When they neared the group, a bug husky looking lady came up to them.

"Are you friends of the bride or the groom?" she asked.

"Umm..." said Lily, she had never been to a wedding before, so she didn't really know how to respond. "I'm Petunia's sister."

"Oh." Said the lady. "Well, I am Vernon's mother."

As Lily had no idea who this Vernon was, she had a questioning look on her face.

"You aren't very informed about this wedding are you?" asked the lady.

"Actually," spoke up James, "We weren't really informed at all about the wedding except for the day, time, and place."

"Oh." Said the lady, "Well, my son Vernon Dursley is the groom. I am Samantha Dursley, and, MARGE!" she called.

A very large and plump lady came over. Lily almost drew back when she saw her up close. The lady's face was about as big as a gorilla's, not to mention that it looked very much like one too.

"This is Marge; my daughter." Continued Samantha. "Marge, this is Petunia's sister… what was your name again?" she asked Lily.

"Lily."

"Oh yes. This is Lily, Marge. And… who are you?" she asked James.

"My name is James." James stuck out his hand, which Marge looked at for a second and then decided to ignore. James took his hand back. "I'm Lily's fiancé."

"I see." Said Samantha. "Well, I have others to attend to. Have a seat would you? The wedding should start in a couple minutes." She said as she walked away.

When her mother was gone, Marge took no time to wander off to find her friends again.

Lily started sniffling. She had had a runny nose for about a day now, and because it was evening out in a garden where it was getting quite cold, that did not help much.

"Are you okay?" asked James.

"Yes." Answered Lily. "Just fine." She giggled and whispered in James's ear, "Did you see that cow? They were both freaky!"

They started laughing.

"If those were the mother and sister of the groom, I wonder what he looks like?" giggled James.

"Okay you're giggling now James." Said Lily, "Now THAT'S scary."

James gave her a playful soft hit on the shoulder and then grabbed Lily's hand.

"Come on, let's go sit down."

They walked down a short path to see a small gazebo with about thirty chairs in front.

Lily sat down and looked at the gazebo, and then cracked up.

"What?" asked James. He looked at the gazebo and saw nothing wrong. It was actually decorated rather nice.

Between laughs and sniffles Lily was able to get out, "Up... top, cow!" she pointed up at the top of the gazebo.

James looked, and saw a cow for the weather top where a rooster was usually stationed. He burst into laughter as well.

They were both sitting there for a few minutes silently laughing, when James noticed that Lily was shivering and sniffing quite a bit. He took off his coat, and saw that it was quite chilly and that there was a slight wind blowing. Nonetheless, he placed the coat on Lily.

"You're already sick; but an hour out here in this weather for you and you could catch pneumonia."

"It's your coat James." Refused Lily. "And one sick person is better than two."

But James shook his head and refused to take it back.

"Not when it's you we're talking about."

Lily smiled and put her arms through the coat. Even though it was still a bit chilly, Lily didn't mind. "My James is finally learning some manners." She thought proudly.

Finally, the minister and the groom, (Lily and James snickered as they saw the big Vernon Dursley walk up to the alter), went up to stand before the alter.

The three groomsmen and bridesmaids then escorted themselves up to stand at either side of the alter.

Then, the bride's music came on, and the minister said, "Would everyone please rise." Everyone stood and looked down the isle for the bride.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"_Sheesh_," Lily thought to herself as she strained her head to look between the other people who were all trying to get a glimpse of Petunia, "_For once she doesn't look all that bad_."

Petunia walked down the isle in a white flowing gown, brown eyes bright and beaming.

"I don't think I have ever seen her this happy before." Lily whispered to James.

James nodded.

Petunia walked up the steps to the alter and clasped hands with the groom.

The minister then gave the traditional wedding speech.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of two wonderful people."

Next, he recited the vows for the bride and groom to agree to.

"Do you, Vernon Dursley take this woman Petunia Evans to be your lawful wedded wife? To have her, to hold her, through better and worse, through rich and through poor."

To which Vernon replied, "I do."

The minister then repeated the same vow to Petunia and she also replied, "I do."

The rings were exchanged, and the minister announced to the crowd, "I am proud to give to you, Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dursley." He turned back to Petunia and Vernon. "You may now kiss the bride."

Cheers, shouts, and whistles were heard all around the garden as Vernon and Petunia leaned in and kissed each other.

They then walked down the isle together, and everybody followed them to the back of the garden where some pictures were being taken.

James and Lily didn't really know what to do. After a few minutes, Vernon's mother, Samantha, asked Lily and James if they would please follow her in a couple minutes to the reception hall and help her put bubble containers on the tables.

Lily agreed, even though she had no idea what the lady meant, and Samantha went off to talk to some other people. Lily and James were about to follow her, when the photographer came over and asked them both to please stay a little longer for some pictures.

Lily was helpless and at a loss.

"What do we do?" she asked James.

James only shrugged. "I have no clue."

They decided to wait for the pictures, and if Samantha left without them, oh well. She could deal with whatever she wanted them to do.

James looked over at where pictures were being taken of the bride and groom and the bridesmaids and the groomsmen.

"I've never been to a weeding before;" He told Lily, "Much less a Muggle one. It seems kind of boring doesn't it?"

Lily smiled. "I guess so. Hopefully the reception will be better."

"What's a reception?" asked James.

"It's the party after the wedding." Lily explained. "It's… oh you'll see."

She looked around for Vernon's mother again, but she was nowhere to be seen. "I guess she went in to do whatever she was going to do." She told herself.

Then, the photographer ushered the two over, and said, "We're taking a family shot here. Would all the family of the bride and groom please come over? Yes, cousins too."

James was shoved away while a small herd of people congregated around the bride and groom. Lily knew a couple of them, them being her cousins.

The photographer lined everyone up right, and was about to take the picture, when he came over to Lily. "Vat do you zink you are doing?" he asked with a strong French accent, "Take zat coat off at vonce! You vill ruin ze picture."

Lily blushed and took off the coat James had put on her and gave it back to him. "Sorry." She whispered. She had actually forgotten that she even had it on. She looked back at the camera, and the shot was taken. Lily then felt just how cold the air was; absolutely chilling.

The photographer then shooed Lily and a few other people away to take another picture with other people.

Lily went back over to James. "Ve don't need you," she imitated the photographer's accent, "You are just ze zister. No vone of importance."

James chuckled and shook his head. "Can we go in now?"

"I think so." Said Lily, "But can we walk around the garden for a few minutes first? It is beautiful."

"Sure." Said James.

Lily giggled.

"What?" asked James.

"You," Chuckled Lily, "Acting so mature."

"I can change." Said James defensively.

"Don't worry Prongs." Lily replied, "I like it."

The two walked around the garden for a few minutes, and then went into the reception area.

(This was a resort bar, so they had to walk through a bar to get to the room where the reception was being held.)

By the door, there were some bathrooms, and Lily's aunt said to Lily on the way there, "Some of your cousins and I are sitting at the table farthest to when you walk in the door. Come sit with us!"

Lily relented, and led James to the far table, where she did see some of her cousins sitting.

It was a round table, and big enough to sit about 10 people.

"Is that you Lily?" asked one of the girls at the table. She was a little taller than Lily and had auburn hair and green eyes.

"Tessa?" Lily asked.

The girl jumped out of her chair and gave Lily a big hug.

"LILY! I haven't seen you since forever!"

Lily grinned and dragged James forward.

"Everyone, this is my boyfriend and fiancé James." She said, "James, these are my cousins! This is Tessa."

James took the girl's hand and kissed it. "Charmed. I'm sure."

Tessa giggled.

"We were best friends until I went to boarding school. Then I just saw her in the summers until. Until I couldn't go home anymore," said Lily. She then motioned to a tall man who was sitting in another chair at the table, with flaming red hair that was cut very short. He was turned away talking to a girl beside him. "Unless I am mistaken, this is my cousin Tom."

At that, the man turned around and grinned. "Well hello Lily, I haven't seen you in ages!" he said.

"It's nice to see you too Tom." Lily smiled.

A woman with the same red hair stood up, and walked over to Lily and gave her a hug. "Don't forget me!" she said.

"Of course not." Lily giggled, "This is my cousin Angie, and another cousin who is here is Jake. He is one of the groomsmen so he's still outside."

James nodded.

They sat down in two empty chairs, and Lily asked Tessa, "Where is everyone else?"

James almost spit out the water he had just poured in his mouth. "Else? As in there are more of you?"

Lily and Tessa laughed.

"Don't sound so shocked James! Yes there's more. There's still Matt and Shannon."

"I don't mean to sound rude," said James, "But there sure are a lot of you."

Tessa smiled. "I know." Then she turned to Lily. "Shannon had to go to work. You know she lives like 7 hours away."

Lily nodded.

"And Matt, well now he lives in Mexico. He just moved there a couple years ago, so you wouldn't know that."

Lily agreed, "Yea, you're right."

Then, Lily's aunt, the one who told them to sit there, came over with another man.

"Hi Lily!" said the man.

"Hello Uncle Jack." Lily smiled and gave the man a hug. "Uncle Jack, this is my fiancé James. James, this is my Uncle Jack and Aunt Katie."

The three exchanged their how-do-you-dos, and Lily sat back in her seat and started chatting with Tessa.

"So you finally got your guy huh?" asked Tessa.

Lily smiled coyly. "You forget nothing do you?"

"Nope." Tessa grinned. "I remember how you used to always talk about how much you wanted a boyfriend, and then you started going to your boarding school, and ever since your first year you would come home every summer and rave to me about how perfect this boy was who was a year older than you and how you two would be perfect for each other. What was his name again?" she pretended to be deep in thought. "Oh yes. James."

"Yes?" said James. He turned from talking with Lily's aunt and uncle.

"Nothing." Lily said quickly.

James shrugged and turned back to talk again.

Lily lightly punched her cousin in the arm. "I can't believe you remembered that."

"How could I forget? You talked nonstop about him!" Tessa replied. "Oh. And by the way, Petunia invited Brian. I think she did it on purpose because she figured you had a boyfriend."

Lily looked the way Tessa was pointing, and saw someone she hadn't seen for three years.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

"No way!" Lily whispered. "She couldn't have!"

Lily quickly looked away from Brian who was sitting a few tables away.

"Yes way Lily," Replied Tessa, "She did."

"Oh my gosh!" Lily whispered frantically, "He used to flirt nonstop with me when I came home for the summers."

"I know." Tessa said, "And not to mention that you would flirt back!"

Lily looked guilty. "It was just a bit of fun, I wasn't serious. Not like he was... I think."

"Yes, but you know how guys think, he probably thought you were serious."

Lily dropped her head on the table and started banging it.

"What are you doing Lily" asked James, looking over.

"Nothing!" said Lily quickly, and she brought her head up. "I just… just... forgot to bring my camera."

"Oh. Sorry."

"I guess it's fine. It's just Petunia anyway."

Just then, the blonde haired DJ, with bulging muscles and a face too cute to ignore, stood up from his station and announced, "The wedding party will be coming in as I announce them, will you please clap for each one as they arrive."

Tessa's mouth opened in fascination. "Oh my gosh! Is he American? He is sooo hot!"

"Calm down." Lily joked, as she mockingly fanned her hands in front of her cousin's face.

The DJ announced each person as they came in the door: "And here is one of the lovely bridesmaids coming in now, everyone please welcome Hattie. Following her is a strong and handsome groomsman David." It went on until finally, the groom and bride entered. "And here is the reason why we are all gathered here today, everybody please put your hands together for the groom and bride, Vernon and Petunia Dursley!"

Everyone clapped dutifully as the wedding party headed up to the long table at the front of the room.

When everyone was seated, the DJ told the people that the dinner was a buffet with the main dish of beef, and that the tables would be excused one by one. "Of course the head table may go get their food now." He said.

While the main table went up to get their food, Lily's cousin Tom turned to Lily. "You haven't met my girlfriend yet have you?" he went on without an answer. "This is Star." He motioned to the girl sitting beside him, (and, may I say, almost on his lap), "Star, this is my cousin Lily." The girls exchanged how-do-you-dos, and Lily muttered, "Of course we'll be the last table to be excused; with my luck."

James smiled. "Actually," he said, "I think that my luck will counter your luck because I always get to be one of the first to get food."

"Only because you're a pig Prongs, and that you look so mean that you make people let you go first." Lily countered.

The other seemed to be enjoying this little couples fit.

"Ah." Said James, faking a hurt look. "You don't think entirely that way do you Tails?"

Lily smirked. "Oh but I do."

"Fine." Relented James. "Say what you want. But let's make a deal. If we don't go last, you have to get my dinner from the buffet when we do get excused, and if we do, I have to get yours."

"Deal." said Lily, they shook hands on it.

"Ohhh you got gypped Lily!" said Tessa. "Just think about it! There's way more chances for us to go in the middle than last. There is like 10 tables here."

James laughed smugly.

"And I don't look mean."

It ended up that their table went fourth and not last, so Lily reluctantly got up to get James' plate first.

"Oh!" said James, "And don't forget that the pepper goes only on the potatoes, and the chili ONLY goes on the meat." He smiled innocently.

Lily mockingly glared in frustration. "Oh sure James." She said haughtily, "You smile now, but I know that under that innocent little smile you have on now there is a little devil." And she walked off.

"Is she really that mad at you?" asked Tessa.

"Of course not." Replied James, "I thought you knew her well."

"Well not that good considering she's been at boarding school for the past seven years." Said Tessa.

"True," James said thoughtfully, "True."

Dinner passed, and the cutting of the cake took place, in which Petunia and Vernon both smashed big pieces of cake in each other's mouth.

"I would have never thought that Petunia's wedding would be this much fun!" Lily thought to herself.

The lights dimmed, and the DJ announced, "Every one please gather around the dance floor," (A.N. There was a dance floor in the middle of the room.), "while the bride and the groom share the first dance of their marriage. I please ask you to all be silent and listen to the song that the bride and groom have picked out for themselves. You may have noticed a few bubble containers on your tables, and this is what they are for. We ask you to please blow bubbles around the dance floor and on the bride and groom if you are up to it. Over all, please enjoy the song."

The music started, and Petunia and Vernon started dancing while some people blew bubbles on them.

About halfway into the dance, Lily almost started to cry because just watching the two dance was beautiful. They fit together perfectly while dancing. She sighed and put her head on James shoulder, just wait until it was she on that floor...

When the song was done, the dance floor was opened to all the guests, and James asked Lily to dance.

"I would love to." She answered as she looked into his eyes lovingly.

Lily and James danced a few dances, in which they had most of the attention of the others, and then they retired.

Lily saw James walk over to the drink table, and saw him down a full glass of wine. She shook her head in distain and headed over to talk to Tessa who was flirting with the American DJ.

"Lily!"

Lily flinched as she heard her name called. She should have known that she couldn't avoid that boy.

"Is that you Brian?" Lily asked, putting on an excited voice and turning to face the approaching young man.

"Yep!" Brian exclaimed, "It's wonderful to see you again! I must say, I've missed you." He said flirtingly.

"Yea, I haven't seen any of you for a few years." Lily said, carefully avoiding saying I missed you directly to him.

"Would you like to dance?" Brian asked cheerfully.

Lily looked over at James, who was still over at the drink table drinking. "Would you wait just a second please Brian," she said, "I need to go check with my fiancé." Without an answer, Lily walked over to where James was standing.

"Lily!" said James, kind of dizzily, "Have a drink and get drunk! It'll be the most fun time you have ever had."

"No thank you James." Said Lily, "and I don't think you should have any more either."

James filled a glass full of a strong red wine and handed it to Lily. "You have to drink it."

Lily just looked at James for a second, and then took a sip out of the glass. The wine was very strong and bitter tasting, so Lily had no idea why people were drinking so much.

Star, Tom's girlfriend came over and poured herself a glass.

"What are you doing over here?" she asked, slurring her words.

"I'm trying to get my girlfriend here drunk." James said.

Star then turned to Lily. "You really should get drunk! It's so great. Sure it tastes a little bitter at first, but then you get used to it."

Lily looked back at James, set her glass down, and walked back over to Brian.

"I would love to dance with you." She said determinedly.

Brian grinned as a slow song came on, and led Lily onto the dance floor where a lot of other couples were dancing.

Lily put her arms around Brian, and he pulled her close to him, and they started dancing.

"So what's up with you now Lily?" asked Brian.

Determined to keep the subject off of James, (at least for now), Lily shrugged and said, "Nothing much. How about you?"

"Only desperately trying to keep my mind off of you." Brian replied.

"That's very sweet Brian." Lily said, resting her head on his shoulder and rolling her eyes.

"So you're 16 now aren't you?" Brian asked.

"No Brian," Lily said, playfully hitting Brian's shoulder, "I'm 17. You're 18 right?"

"Yep." Answered Brian. "That good ol' age."

They danced for a couple minutes in silence, and then Brian asked, "You're 18 now aren't you?"

"Brian, I'm 17." Lily replied, and then she sighed when she remembered that he had just asked that question a minute past. She had accepted this dance to get away from a drunken man, but it just ended up that she was just with another one.

The song was almost done; when Lily noticed that Brian was leaning down to kiss her. She about to give him the cheek, when she heard a loud "OI!" Everyone turned to look where the voice came from, and Lily saw James charging towards Brian.

"You stay away from my girlfriend!"


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"James!" Lily shrieked, "STOP!"

James did not stop. He tackled Brian to the ground, and started punching him. Brian was fighting back, but he wasn't quite as strong as the Quidditch player James was.

Finally after about 30 seconds, Lily was able to pull her fiancé off of Brian, and put her hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

While James was breathing, Lily looked around. Everyone was staring at them. She turned her eyes to the head table, and locked eyes with Petunia. She was fuming.

Lily looked away, and looked back at James.

"Don't you ever do that again James." She said clearly. "Unless I am in big trouble, I can take care of myself."

James grinned sloppily.

Lily, understanding that it was the liquor talking, resisted the urge to slap him, and glowered. "Listen to me James! I am NOT joking." she shook her head, and went to sit down at her table.

Lily looked at her watch. It was 10:00 and the party didn't end until 11:00. Lily was feeling horrible. The dimmed lights made her very sleepy, and she was so sick, and that made her more tired. Her nose was running, she was coughing, she had a headache, and she couldn't leave the party for another hour.

Tessa came over and talked with her, but Lily was barely listening. She was staring at where James was, with people all around him, dancing.

"They're all drunk." She muttered.

"What?" asked Tessa. She was just telling Lily how nice the DJ was and that she should go and meet him.

Lily nodded in James' direction. "They're all drunk."

Tessa chuckled. "You're still mad about that whole fight thing aren't you?"

Lily looked at Tessa, shocked that she could be so insensitive. "You're not too are you?"

"Not what?" asked Tessa.

"Drunk."

Tessa giggled. "No. I'm not drunk. I think the atmosphere has gotten to me a little."

Lily coughed and put her head down on the table.

"Well, if you won't go with me," Tessa continued, "I'm going back over there." She went back over to flirt with the DJ again.

"Remind myself not to have wine or alcohol of any sorts at my reception." Lily mumbled to herself.

After a little bit, Lily looked around, and James lumbered over with a guy Lily didn't know. "I'm going back to dance dude." Said the man, while James sat down.

Lily looked at James while he stared into space for a few seconds. He then turned his eyes to Lily.

"Come on Lily get drunk. I promise, it'll be the best day of your life." He then looked Lily in the eyes, but Lily noticed, it was the kind of look where you couldn't really see anything. Lily looked James in the eyes for a couple second, and then tears welled up in her eyes and she slowly burst of sobbing into her hands.

"What's wrong?" asked James somewhat insensitively.

"You're… scaring… me." Lily managed to get out through her sobs.

James was silent for a second, then said, "I'm sorry... But come on! Get drunk. It'll be for better in the end."

He then got up to leave. Lily sobbed even harder then before. She sat there for a few minutes, and then got up and discreetly made her way to the bathroom. When in the bathroom, she took the time to cry desperately, and to think of why she was crying like this. Lily knew the answer. It was everything added up. She was very tired, she was very sick, and James was being an asshole.

"I deserve to cry." Lily told herself. But after a while, she dried her tears, and splashed water on her face to try to cover that she had been crying.

Just then, Brian opened the door to the bathroom. "Oh hi Lily, is Hannah in here?"

Lily had no idea who Hannah was, and she knew that Brian was very drunk, and so she just said, "No; I don't know where she is." Lily stopped herself from saying anything about this being the Girls Bathroom.

"Oh; okay." Brian was about to shut the door, when he turned back to Lily. "Are you okay? Have you been crying?"

Lily shook her head. "No."

"Are you sure?"

Lily forced a small smile out. "Yes, I'm sure."

Brian shut the door.

Lily burst out crying again.

"_Even Brian is more considerate than James, and we're not even going out_!" she thought, which made her sob even harder.

After another little while, she regained her composure, and wiped her eyes again. This time she headed out to the reception room, and sat back down at her table trying to be discreet, and hoping that no one would try to talk to her.

"Well, this is the end everyone." The DJ said over the microphone, "Would everyone please gather around the dance floor while the newly wedded couple close with the last dance. And after that, would you please stay where you are, because the bride and groom would like to come around and thank each of you personally for coming."

Lily went back by the door. She wanted to get out as soon as possible when it was finished, (she would get James first, she wasn't THAT mad at him), and she had no desire to say goodbye to Petunia.

The last dance was fine; Lily couldn't believe that she almost cried at the first dance because it was so beautiful. Now, it was horrible because Lily was so impatient to go. Then, the goodbyes. The goodbyes took a good 10 minutes, and after that, James went around hugging everyone and saying a little something to each one.

"When I tell him about this in a few days he will be so embarrassed." Lily thought. She smiled a bit, and then went to get James.

She smiled at the people he was talking to, and pulled James away. "It's time to go James." She said.

Lily held James by his hand and dragged him out of the small building, and into the main building. Lily went up to the front desk, and asked for a room. The clerk was very kind, and gave them the last room.

James followed Lily noisily down the hall and into their room.

"I'm going to throw up." He stated calmly.

Lily franticly found the bathroom, lifted the toilet seat up, and leaned James head into it.

After James relieved himself of a large amount to alcohol, Lily led James over to the bed, took off his shoes, and put the covers over him. She then got in the other side herself.

James turned over.

"Did I do anything wrong Tails? You seem mad at me."

Lily gave him a half smile. "It's okay. I'll tell you tomorrow."

With that, they both went to sleep.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"My God… I'm so sorry Lily." James apologized. Lily had just told him what an ass he had been the night before. "I should have watched myself. I didn't mean to make you cry, it's just really hard to take anything serious when you're drunk. I didn't even know if you were really crying or not. Want me to hit myself for you? 'Cause I will."

Lily chuckled. Everything about the night before didn't seem quite as bad now that she had a good night's rest, and some of it was even a little humorous. "That is hard to believe that you didn't know I was serious when I was there bawling my eyes out right in front of your face."

James smiled sheepishly. "I am sorry. I… I want to say that I'll never get drunk again, but I can't promise that…"

"I guess so. Let's go." Said Lily.

They got up to leave, when an owl flew in the window.

"What are you doing here Bill?" James asked.

The owl landed on James' arm, and presented its leg to show that there was a letter tied to it. James took the letter, and was about to open it when two more owls came in. One was Lily's, and one was an owl that neither Lily nor James had seen before, and they both landed before Lily.

Lily and James both gave each other a quizzical look, and James opened and read his letter.

After doing so, James sat back on his bed, looking stunned.

"What is it?" asked Lily.

James handed her the letter:

_Dear Mr. J. Potter,  
We are very sorry to inform you that your parents, Kevin and Candice Potter, were murdered by the Dark Lord Voldemort last night. Again, we are all very sorry and regret to have to be the ones to tell you this.  
Dean Hale, Vice President of the Ministry of Magic_

Lily covered her mouth with her hand. "I... I can't believe it." She said slowly. "Not them... no. I won't believe it!"

"Open your letters Lily." Said James softly.

Lily gulped, and took the letter off of the owl that she didn't know.

_Dear Ms. L Evans,_

We are very sorry to inform you that your grandmother, Janet Evans, was murdered by the Dark Lord Voldemort last night. Again, we are all very sorry and regret to have to be the ones to tell you this.  
Dean Hale Secretary of the Ministry of Magic

Lily took a deep, shuttering breath and opened the next letter:

_ Lily,_

So sorry that I had to do that, but I need to get it in your head that I am gaining in power, and can kill anyone I want whenever I want. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I want you to join me. If you don't so it soon, who knows who will be next.

Lord Voldemort

Lily ran her hand through her hair in anxiety and crumpled up the letter, tearing it into little pieces so that no one, not even James could ever see or read it.

"My grandma was killed too." She said softly.

They were silent for a few minutes, and then Lily brought up another subject. "James, where am I going to live?"

"Well," said James, "You could live in your grandma's house still," Lily shook her head. "Or, you could move in with me."

Lily looked up at James thankfully. "You think so?"

James nodded. "Of course. We are going to be married soon anyway."

Lily flung her arms around James' neck. "Oh thank you Prongs! I love you so much!"

James sighed. "You know what Lily? We had better get into that Auror school."

"Oh Lily I'm so sorry!" Raye came out of the Potter mansion with Sirius, to greet Lily and James, who had just apparated to the house.

"Yea, sorry Prongs. That's really horrible news." Said Sirius.

"If you excuse me everyone," said Lily, "I don't think I'm ready to talk with anyone right now. Thanks for coming though… James, can you show me which room I'm staying in?"

"Sure." Said James. He told the other that he would be back, and then he led Lily upstairs and into his room. "Are we going to be in the same room Tails? Or are you so particular that we can't until we're actually married?"

Lily was able to come out with a grin. "No, I think we'll be able to have the same room."

James was encouraged by Lily's smile. "Yes, that's what I'm talking about." He said suggestively.

"And that's something I'm NOT talking about." Said Lily. She pointed to the bed. "The only thing that will be going on right there will be sleeping until out wedding night. If not, what's the use of getting married."

James seemed a little put out, but he smiled anyway. "Alright! The women always win."

"I know." Smiled Lily.

James gave her a kiss, and then headed back downstairs.

Raye stood up when she saw James come down the stairs. "So she's okay right?"

James seemed a little confused, but then remembered. "Yea, she'll be fine. She just needs a little rest."

"And what about you Prongs?" asked Sirius, "I mean, this is serious. And that word was not intended for once. You better get accepted to that Auror School or get another job soon, because you've got no more."

"Don't you think I know that Sirius?" snapped James, "This is their house and they're not here anymore! All the people I have left in the world now are you guys, Wormtail, Moony, and Lily. I tell you, nothing better happen to any of you, or I just might do something rash. And you know what? Lily has no family left. Sure she has some cousins, but no real family left! Her sister hates her, everything's gone." James let some tears fall. "Oh God help us. If only this life were fair... everything bad seems to happen to us."

Raye and Sirius just sat in silence and let James pour out his soul, while Lily was upstairs thinking, "This is all my fault."


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

"Raye!" Lily called.

She was standing in front of a wall mirror looking at herself in the white flowing wedding dress.

Raye rushed in from the other room.

"Yes?"

"I can't do this!" Lily exclaimed, "I bet he's leaving right now. He wouldn't want to marry me; he probably thinks I'm fat! I bet he hates me!" Lily burst into tears.

Raye rolled her eyes.

"Lily." She said, giving her friend a hug, "I am the maid of honor, and as such, it is my job to see that you don't think about anything like that. Tell me, why would he have proposed to you if he didn't want to marry you?"

"I think he's changed his mind!" Lily sobbed.

"James is not going anywhere Lily. You've been going out for 4 years! Why would he just pick up his bags and leave now? I assure you; he's not going anywhere."

"Yes he is." Choked Lily.

Raye shook her head.

"Lily, if you don't knock it off this instant, I'm going to hex you."

"You can't." said Lily, regaining some of her composure.

"What do you mean I can't?" said Raye. She felt in her pocket for her wand. It wasn't there. "My wand!" she exclaimed, "Where is it?"

Lily slyly brought out Raye's wand from behind her back. She dried her eyes, and gave a little giggle.

"See, it's all better. Now please give me back my wand." Said Raye.

Lily handed over the wand.

"Don't do anything. Do you know how much this dress cost?"

"More than James would pay if he was just going to leave you on your wedding day." Raye responded.

"You're right." Said Lily. "James wouldn't leave me."

"Of course I'm right." Raye cooed, "When will you learn that I'm always right?"

Lily shook her head and laughed. "Never Raye. Never." They both smiled at each other. "By the way, have you seen Kay?"

"No." said Raye. "I haven't heard from her for a while actually."

"Hmm..." Said Lily in a thoughtful voice, "Me neither. She was supposed to be one of the bridesmaids."

"Sirius!" James barked; he was pacing in his room, already dressed in his wedding robes.

"Yea?" Sirius looked up from where he was doing a crossword puzzle.

"I," James started.

"Wait." Said interrupted Sirius, "Before you go on another of those "Lily doesn't want to marry me" rants, let me say that these Muggle crossword puzzle invention thingies are pretty good. It something to do while the groom is going on and on about the same thing."

"That's not important Sirius." Said James, "What is important, is that Lily is probably apparating away somewhere with all of her stuff right about now! I bet she hates me; I bet she thinks I'm stupid. She's probably seen that zit on my shoulder and it grossed her out and now she's leaving."

"She doesn't think you're stupid, and… ewww…" Said Sirius. "Whatever. She's probably just in her room right now putting her dress on, and thinking the same things about you."

"Don't be absurd." Replied James, "Lily has no reason to think that I would be leaving her."

"And you do?"

"Go check on her Sirius." Said James, "Make sure she's not going anywhere. And if she is, just tell me okay?"

"Okay Prongs." Sirius smirked; "But Lily is fine, okay? You should go into the church hall." he walked out of the room. "Make sure he doesn't do anything rash." He whispered to Remus and Peter who were in the next room.

Knock knock

"Any naked or changing women in there?" Sirius knocked on the door to the girl's changing room.

Raye answered the door. "Nope."

"Darn." Said Sirius jokingly.

"Besides wanting to see a naked girl," said Raye, "What do you want?"

"Umm..." Sirius thought for a moment. "Oh yea! James wanted me to check on Lily to see if she was running away or anything."

Raye smiled, walked out of the room and shut the door.

"Of course not! But she is thinking the same things about him."

"Of course." Said Sirius. Then he looked up and down a Raye. "You look beautiful as ever." He said flirtingly.

"And my man is as handsome as ever." Replied Raye.

Sirius roughly pulled Raye to him and started kissing her.

Raye backed up. "This is Lily and James' day Sirius. There's always tomorrow."

Sirius pouted, and then went back to tell James that Lily was fine.

"Lily!"

Kay rushed in.

"Kay! Or should I say, Narcissia." Lily replied, "Where have you been? The ceremony is starting in just a few minutes or something like that."

"Then I don't have much time to say this Lily." Said Kay.

Lily looked quizzically at the girl, as did Raye.

"Lily," Kay started, "We can't be friends anymore."

Lily started to say something, but Kay put up her hand.

"Let me finish. Lucius proposed to me, but he also said that it was either him or you."

"What are you going on about Kay?" said Raye, "It's not like you're going to marry Lily or anything."

"If I marry Lucius, I can't be friends with you anymore because you are going to marry James, and you know how they don't get along, so that's what Lucius said. And if I refuse and still want to be friends with you, then Lucius will break up with me." Kay almost started crying, but kept her composure. "I choose Lucius, and so we have to break all contact."

Lily gaped. "Even letters?"

"ALL contact." Kay repeated. "I'm staying for the wedding, but then we'll probably never see each other again. I'm sorry Lily." She walked out of the room with her head hung low. Raye followed her into the next room leaving Lily standing there in shock.

"How dare you." Said Raye, "How dare you do this to her on her wedding day! The one day where everything is supposed to go right for her, and you ruin it by saying that she has to lose one of her closest friends. You say goodbye to Lily, you say goodbye to me too."

"Goodbye Raye." Kay simply said, and she walked out.

Wedding music played as Lily placed one foot in front of the other making her walk down the isle.

Everyone was staring at her, but she didn't even notice as she locked eyes with James, who was standing at the alter. She gave him a little smile, and he grinned in response.

When Lily reached the alter, James took her hand in his and gave it a little squeeze.

"Marriage." The priest started, "Marriage is what brings us together today. Marriage is the joining of two who love, making one. Love is what makes the world go 'round, and is what we all wish we had. These two have found that love, and are going a step further to become one. If anyone objects to this wedding, speak now or forever hold your piece." No one spoke. He turned to Lily. "Do you, Lily Marie Evans, take this man to be your lawful wedded husband? To have and to hold through sickness and through health, through rich and through poor, to respect him as the head of the house and to take care of him when the need arises, just as he shall do for you?"

"I do." Lily answered.

James audibly let out a sigh of relief.

Lily turned and smiled at him.

The priest then turned to James. "And do you, James Harold Potter take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife? To have and to hold through sickness and through health, through rich and through poor, to honor her decisions, to let her know your appreciation of all that she will do, and to care for her when the need arises, just as she will do for you?"

"I do." James grinned.

The priest smiled.

"Then by the power invested in me by the God above, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Lily reached around James neck and pulled him to her as James placed his hands around her waist and kissed her as magical fireworks went off in the sky.

THE END


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